Hey everyone! Welcome back to Byte Size Cruises. If this is your first time reading our blog, we are a small travel agency outside of Philadelphia, PA and we specialize in all things cruising. In this post we are going to discuss 10 things to avoid on your next cruise day at sea.
1: Overindulging
As tempting as it is to eat and drink to excess at each meal on a cruise, doing so will completely ruin a day at sea. This is usually the first full day on the cruise and we see it all the time. People get on the ship and are so excited to be on vacation they go all out too fast and with far too much. Before long, they’re locked in their room, sick, and unable to enjoy the events on their vacation for the next 24 hours.
2: Not being prepared for long lines.
Remember, there are good times to do things and bad times to do things on the cruise ship. Generally we recommend not doing big attractions on the ship like water slides on sea days because the lines will be long. Good times to do those things are port days or even the embarking day.
3: Waiting until late morning or early afternoon to go to the pool.
Why you may ask? Chair hogs! If you wait until the afternoon to get to the pool on a sea day, most likely you will struggle to find a chair on the deck. If you plan to go to the pool on a sea day, get there early to secure a chair and stay and enjoy! Don’t be the person who puts something on a chair to reserve it and then leaves for hours.
4: Not reading the cruise planner.
You’ll want to know what’s going on aboard the ship for your sea day and have a general plan. The night before, check your cruising app and see what events spark your fancy. You definitely don’t want to miss out simply because you weren’t aware! A lot of activities are only offered once on a cruise.
5: Forgetting to make a reservation.
Reservations can be made on your cruising app and you’ll need to do this ahead of time. Often there are events needing a reservation, such as specialty dining or entertainment, on sea days. Check your app the day before to claim your space before these events are sold out.
6: Not booking a spa treatment.
Sea days are great days to visit the spa! You’ll need to book your massage or treatment ahead of time. Generally we recommend doing all of these bookings as soon as you get on the ship so you don’t have to worry about it and so you have your choice of booking times.
7: Loud passengers.
This isn’t something you have much control over, however your awareness of it can help. Loud kids and rowdy passengers can ruin your day at sea, especially if you’re intending to read a book or seek out peace. The best thing you can do is first, avoid crowded and noisy areas and secondly, simply relocate if you’re feeling irritated by the activity around you.
8: Skipping on board activities.
Don’t skip the on board things! There are so many fun things going on during the day. While lounging by the pool or on deck is absolutely called for, definitely check out the activities going on as well. You never know what kind of fun you can have, especially when you try something new.
9: Weather
Not being aware of the weather and planning accordingly can absolutely ruin your day at sea. If it’s going to be bad weather or the sea will be rough, make sure to take sea sickness medication or take other precautions. Bring a sweatshirt or jacket with you if you go up on deck and rearrange your plans if it’s raining and you can’t do outside events that day.
10: Avoiding the casino.
Even if you don’t usually gamble, the events they do in the casino on sea days can be a ton of fun and won’t cost a lot of money. They also usually do bingo, tournaments, etc. If you have the extra $20 to spend, definitely check it out.
Those are the 10 things to avoid on your sea day! Anything you would add? Comment below!