What to do on the days at sea on a cruise ship? On a lot of people’s minds when booking a cruise are the days at sea. What can you do onboard?
I get asked these questions all the time ‘what do you do on the days at sea on a cruise ship?’, ‘what do you do on the sea days?’, ‘how you fill your time on the days at sea?’
For a start, it is a cruise ship, not a container ship, so it is full to the brim with things to do.
There are activities going on all day onboard and there is a daily ship newspaper that tells you what is going on from morning to night.
(We are a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for us to earn fees by linking to Amazon.com and affiliated sites at no extra cost to you. As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases).
What To Do On the Days at Sea on a Cruise Ship?
Activities Do To Onboard a Cruise Ship
Activities range from:
- Painting
- Card Games
- Ship Games
- Cooking Demonstrations
- Ice carving and fruit carving demonstrations
- Movies
- Shows – musicals, comedy, singers, musicians, magicians, acrobats, etc
- Seminars about ports, wildlife, how to use your camera, jewellery, gemstones, hair and beauty, fitness, weight loss, and more subjects
- Shopping
- Wine tasting
- Art auctions
- Trivia
- Zumba or fitness classes
- Dance classes
- Gambling in the casino
- And lots more!
A cruise ship has many lounges, bars, restaurants, shops, a spa, a casino, sun decks, pools, jacuzzis, gym, running track and decks to explore.
I keep myself quite busy and I’m on my own most of the day while my husband is working (he works onboard).
So, what do you do on the days at sea on a cruise ship?
A typical day at sea for me is:
Morning at Sea
Tai Chi Class, Zumba Class, coffee, check emails, freshen up for lunch.
Afternoon at Sea
Lunch, reading or listening to a podcast, write blog articles and then get ready for the evening if going out.
Evening at Sea
Drinks at in the bar and then dinner and maybe a show.
This is just an example, days change all the time! If I am cruising in a hot climate I will sit in the adults-only part of the sun deck, that way it is quiet.
With no kids running around or splashing in the pool. I like to walk around the deck for an hour and listen to music or a podcast, I do this if it is hot or cold.
Days at Sea Ideas
If you are travelling as a couple or group, you do not need to do everything together.
Decide what you would like to do and meet up later for coffee, lunch or dinner. As there are so many activities going on onboard throughout the day and evening.
The way to think about it is that you can do what you like as you are on vacation. If you would like to catch up on your sleep, sleep!
Read those books you have meaning to, have that full body massage or your nails done.
Lay by the pool all day, drink every cocktail on the menu or go to trivia and every activity available, you can it’s your cruise.
If you are travelling with your kids check them into the kids club if they are old enough and let them play while you play!
Days at sea do not need to be boring, enjoy your free time to relax. Cruise ships in this age are far from boring. They are only boring if you do not know how to use your time!
You may also enjoy reading:
TOP 5 TIPS HOW TO USE YOUR iPhone ON A CRUISE SHIP
10 TIPS ON HOW TO PACK JUST HAND LUGGAGE FOR A CRUISE
TOP 10 HANDY THINGS TO BRING ON A CRUISE
Cruise Essentials
What will you be doing on the days at sea on your next cruise?
I hope you enjoyed reading about what to do on the days at sea on a cruise ship. Please share on Facebook, Twitter or Pinterest so your friends and family can read too. Sharing is caring!
Happy Cruising!
I’d never really thought about being able to do yoga and fitness classes onboard a cruise! It sounds like you could turn it into a bit of a retreat 😀
Author
You could, easily!
Sounds so wonderful! I’d love to take a cruise someday soon!
Author
I hope you do in the future, it is a great way to travel.
I never thought doing a cruise trip, because I was afraid of how I should spend my time on the sea days. I do know there’s a lot to do on a cruise, but I never knew there was this much to do! Thank you for sharing these ideas!
Author
Your welcome! I hope you get to enjoy a cruise soon.
I’ve always been a bit wary of doing a cruise and not being able to get off each day, but spa days and relaxing actually sound rather nice. It would be good to be forced to take a rest day!
Author
This what I love sbout cruising, as you have time to relax properly .
I worked on a cruise ship more than 20 years ago and there were not lots of activities on board back then and a sea day seemed to be boring 😉
Author
Now there are too many activities! When you are working onboard the sea days are boring! Lol
Seems like a great way to force yourself to do the things we so easily put off when on dry land…!
I think I need a few months on this ship and a partner who works while I tend to my health-hit the gym and pool and tan and take art classes and read. I might come back in much better shape!
Author
Definitely! I’m much better onboard than at home!
My family loves to play trivia! And go to the music shows. Some of the people on cruise ships are very talented!
Author
Fun! They sure are, I love going to the shows.
Exactly – as long as it isn’t a container ship but a cruise, I am sure you can find a lot of activities to do. In fact, it’s so active and lively in cruises sometimes that you wonder if you should stay on board or get off, right? Games, quizzes, shows, activities, there’s always a lot to do. Oh, and the food! I love spending time in the pool too.
Author
There is too much to do, if you want to do it all!
Spa treatments get my vote every time! And I found the exercise classes on board really very good indeed. Great post because I know it’s something that puts some people off cruising in the first place – for no good reason at all!
Author
Thank You! I know and that was my main aim to let everyone know sea days are fun and relaxing. You can’t go wrong at the spa and the fitness classes are great onboard.
Is it crazy that I have never done a cruise? There was always this block in my mind, that I would get bored on a cruise, but as you outlined, clearly that isn’t possible- as you said think of it as a vacation — Read, sleep, get a nail job – whatever – and you can still make a routine or not at all. Great tips as well as your products you recommend. Thanks!
Author
I think it is about time you went on a cruise then, I’m sure you would enjoy it and now you know you would not get bored on the days are sea! Thank you, I glad you like the recommended products, I like to help as much as I can.
I’ve only been on one cruise but we were busy the whole time. My favorite was the painting class. I didn’t even spend time reading my book!
Author
It is amazing how much there is to do onboard. A painting class sounds fun!
A full body massage sounds lovely! I’ve never been on a cruise so it’s hard to imagine what it is like, although it seems like a luxury hotel with all the amenities you might need! I really should try it!
Author
Cruising is like a hotel, it just floats and takes you to fantastic places around the world!
I have not taken a cruise but I think we will make awesome travel buddies! I would probably do the same things as you would, except that on some nights, I would rather end it with a visit to a spa if there is one. haha awesome post, by the way!
Author
You will have to cruise with me one day! There is spa so your are covered!
We have never been on a long cruise. But hope to do one soon. This post is very apt for us as you have discussed activities when the ship is sailing. There are so many things to on a ship at sea, I guess there never will be a dull moment. Also could spend hours just watching the sea.
Author
I hope you get to cruise soon, it is a great way to travel and the days at sea are relaxing. It is hard to get bored!
What I like about luxury ships is that they are like self contained townships where everything is available within its confines. Spa is something most people would never refuse , me included. I think if there was more than a day out in the seas, you would find me in deck chair with a book and a cocktail. 🙂 🙂
Author
Cruise ships are like small towns! It sounds like you would not bored all!