If you’ve had a chance to look at some of my other posts about cruising, you may have already realized that I love pretty much everything about being on a cruise. The ocean air, the rocking of the boat, the adventure of visiting new places. The list just goes on and on! The whole experience is just magical to me. In my mind, that experience includes both the time on the boat and the time exploring off of it. A cruise just wouldn’t be the same for me without a mix of sea days and port days!
Now, I know many people would disagree. There are plenty of people who cruise primarily for the destinations themselves. And, there are also people who just love the experience of the boat and rarely leave it during the voyage. But, I think that the two experiences actually enhance each other in the best possible ways.
Definition of a Sea Day
Just in case you have never been on a cruise, let me take you through what a sea day entails. On a sea day, the ship is traveling across the ocean. There are generally no stops, although land is often visible as are other ships. Everyone aboard the cruise stays on the ship the entire day. There is generally a wide variety of activities going on throughout the day and all around the ship. The staff knows that people want to have a variety of potential activities to choose from and work hard to provide as many as possible.
A sea day is also the perfect time to relax and watch the ocean go by! The fact that the boat is surrounded by 360-degree beautiful ocean views makes this extra enjoyable. You can also take the opportunity to sleep in, read a book, or play games. The best part of a sea day is the knowledge that there is absolutely nothing that you have to do. You can take the day to do whatever it is you enjoy.
Definition of a Port Day
A port day is, in some ways, the opposite of a sea day. Generally, the cruise ship is docked at a specific destination for part or most of the day. There will be many different excursions offered on land. And, of course, passengers are welcome to explore the surrounding area on their own. Depending on the ship’s destination, the opportunities for the day’s activities can vary greatly. Often, the ship is only in port for a day, with some schedule set ahead of time. It is very important to follow the schedule and be back to the ship well before sail away. They will leave you behind if you are too late!
Thoughts on Sea Days vs. Port Days
Most cruise itineraries generally contain both port days and sea days. The different sea day to port day ratios allow for plenty of opportunities to satisfy people with widely different tastes. Of course, there are always the extremes. For example, transatlantic cruises often have a very high percentage of sea days overall. These sea days are also often one right after another during the Atlantic crossing. Having that many sea days in a row on one cruise can be intimidating to people. But it can actually be pretty rewarding as well! To learn more about how taking a transatlantic cruise can be an amazing experience, check out my post on Water, Water, Everywhere.
The Perfect Ratio
In my mind, the perfect ratio of sea days to port days would be 1:1. My cruising buddy and I have often remarked that our favorite itinerary would be one that alternates a sea day with a port day. Of course, some types of ports and the activities you plan for them make a sea day afterward so much more enjoyable.
What the Perfect Ratio Might Look Like
At least for me, a port day is usually a lot more active. It also tends to be a long day with an alarm going off in the early morning. Because of these factors, I tend to be quite a bit more tired after a port day. After a few port days in a row, I may even start to feel like I need a vacation from my vacation! On the other hand, sea days tend to be much more relaxing for me. I like to sleep in a bit, enjoy some reading time, attend different activities during the day, and generally just spend my day in a more relaxed manner. Having a sea day right after a port day gives me the energy to fully engage during the port day, and makes the relaxation of the sea day even sweeter.
Of course, there are many exceptions to this. For instance, if you are on a Caribbean cruise and you plan to just lay out on the beach for a few hours, you will probably be pretty relaxed afterward (unless you get burnt). But, if you are in the Mediterranean and you have an early morning followed by a day filled with hiking ruins planned, you are most likely going to be a bit tired afterward. That is when having a sea day to look forward to is absolutely lovely. Even more so if you like to enjoy a nice dinner and the onboard show in the evening, which likely doesn’t result in going to bed early. Knowing that you have a sea day upcoming allows you to take part in all the evening’s activities without worrying about an early alarm going off in the morning!
Ending a Cruise on a High Note
No matter how wonderful or lengthy a cruise might be, it unfortunately still always comes to an end. And, let me tell you, you do not want to end your cruise with a port day if it is avoidable. As I already mentioned, port days can be lengthy, and oftentimes you may not even get back onto the ship until late in the day. Now imagine spending that whole day in port sad because you know it is ending soon. And then returning to the boat not to enjoy your last few hours, but to pack and prepare for the next day.
Having a sea day as your last day on the boat makes this entire process so much easier. It also ensures that you end your vacation with a little less stress. Which in turn means that you can return home in a little better mood! Those extra few hours of peace and/or fun can make the difference when you are facing a return to ‘normal life’.
Your Idea of the Perfect Cruise Might be Different!
The great thing about cruising is that it can be very personalized. There are so many options and the choices are endless. Itineraries are no exception, and you should absolutely choose whichever one works best for you! You might want to spend your vacation hopping from destination to destination with little to no time on the boat. Or you might prefer to turn every day into a faux-sea day by staying on the boat even when you are in port. Whatever you prefer, you can make your vacation your own!
Have you ever traveled on what you think is the perfect cruise itinerary? Or maybe one that you tried, but didn’t turn out to be your favorite? Let me know in the comments below!
