A sea day is a great opportunity to relax and take advantage of the cruise ship’s amenities. If you’re new to cruising, you may be feeling apprehensive about spending a whole day ‘stuck’ onboard. The good news is that there are always so many options to choose from. When at sea, you’ll be pleased to know that there are tons to do whilst travelling to your next port of call.
In this post I will share with you my ‘perfect day at sea’ with some suggestions to help you get the most out of your cruise.
My Perfect Sea Day: Morning
8.20am I wake up and put my gym kit on, I’m off to start my day with a Zumba class. On my way to the class I grab a coffee and sit out on deck, gazing out at the view. It’s nice and peaceful at this time of day as many cruisers choose to sleep in on sea days.
9.00am It’s Zumba time! My favourite thing about the class is that I get to burn off some of those delicious calories, whilst enjoying myself; I’m not a gym person but love to dance so this is perfect exercise in disguise. The class is around 45 minutes and attracts all ages and abilities to join in.
9.45am After Zumba, I head to the buffet for breakfast. I never normally eat breakfast at home but the choice on offer on a cruise ship cannot be denied so I tuck into a cooked breakfast, fruit, perhaps a pastry… and pancakes!
10.45am I pop back to my cabin for a shower and to get changed. I consult the daily onboard newsletter, which details all the events and activities planned for the day. I may even highlight particular things I don’t want to miss before throwing some essentials in a day bag: sun cream, phone, earphones and a book.
11.30am Wondering through the ship’s atrium I stop to watch a cocktail demonstration complete with juggling and dancing!
11.45am I take the elevator to the pool deck where I find a sunny spot to settle down with my book. I also enjoy a bit of people-watching and chat to fellow cruisers about where they’re from and why they enjoy cruising. I like to meet people from other countries, I find it interesting to learn more about their lives and what brought them on the cruise.
My Perfect Sea Day: Afternoon
1.30pm I start thinking about lunch so I walk to the buffet and enjoy a light lunch of soup and sushi. I love sushi but don’t get to enjoy it very often so make the most of this opportunity! I stop by the complimentary soft-serve ice cream kiosk as I leave for a sugar fix.
2.30pm There’s a backstage tour of the ship’s theatre on the daily newsletter so I take a seat and listen to the cruise director interview the dance captain about what life is like onboard for members of the entertainment team. I learn that the dancers onboard cruise ships tend to have more spare time than some of the other roles onboard as most of their performances are in the evening. This gives them more freedom to explore cruise ports. We are invited backstage to see the dressing rooms, which are compact with a huge clothes rail for the performers’ costumes.
3.15pm It’s cocktail o’clock! I head to the back of the ship to order a cocktail from the ship’s aft bar and gaze out at the wake view – this view never gets old. My favourite cocktail whilst cruising is a Margarita – it’s easy sipping!
4.30pm I wonder back to the pool area where I watch an ice carving demonstration. I learn that these special blocks of ice are from South America and brought onboard just to create ice sculptures. It’s likely that I will see them on display in the buffet later.
5.00pm On a cruise, I like to try at least one specialty dining option. I decide to book a specialty dining restaurant for the next sea day using my onboard credit so swing by the restaurant and make a reservation with the maître d’.
5.10pm I take a walk on the promenade deck, there is something about a traditional promenade deck that I love. I do a complete lap, stopping now and again to take in the beautiful panoramic views of the ocean.
5.30pm It’s time to head to my cabin to have a little down time. On my way back, I pause to browse the onboard shops. When I get back to the cabin I enjoy watching one of the movies pre-loaded on the TV whilst getting ready for formal night.
My Perfect Sea Day: Evening
7.30pm Dressed, with hair and make-up done, I am ready for formal night! It’s quite common for a formal night to be held on a sea day so everyone has plenty of time to get glammed up. My first stop is the ship’s atrium to enjoy a pre-dinner Bellini cocktail. It’s so nice to see everyone dressed to impress.
7.50pm I make my way to one of the main dining rooms. I always opt for flexible dining so that I can choose the time I eat. There is no waiting time tonight, so I’m shown to a table straight away and settle down to enjoy an exquisite three-course meal.
9.00pm Feeling rather content from my evening meal, I take a stroll to one of the lounges and plop myself down to enjoy a guest comedian act. Waiter service allows me to order a couple of cocktails whilst enjoying the entertainment.
9.45pm I’m feeling lucky, so I make my way to the ship’s casino to take a spin on the roulette. I show great restraint and stick to my $20 limit, which can last me quite a while if I’m fortunate. The aim is to leave the table with more than I started with… this happens sometimes – #winning!
10.45pm I finish the evening at one of the lounge bars, perhaps listening to some background music, I particularly like entertainment in keeping with the cruise destinations e.g. steel drums in the Caribbean or a ukulele player on the way to Hawaii.
11.45pm It’s off to bed for me. I fall asleep in my big comfy bed and look forward to the rest of my cruise; the destinations I’m going to explore and the experiences I’m yet to have.
What does your perfect sea day look like? Let me know in the comments.
Laura is a UK cruise blogger based in Cornwall, UK. She founded Cruise Lifestyle in 2016 to share useful advice about cruising, destinations and food.
Last port visited: Bridgetown, Barbados
Next port of call: unknown, but she can’t wait for cruising to resume safely!
Find me on: Twitter
Looks like an interesting and relaxing day. I’ve never been on a cruise so not sure what my perfect cruise day would be, but I’m sure it would involve some exercise, some sun and some cocktails as well!
It does sound like a relaxing day full of yummy food! I love the idea of starting with Zumba and walking around the ship does sound relaxing.
Does the ship rolling on the waves/ help or hinder your dancing during the zumba class? 😀
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I’ve got to be honest, yes, I have done Zumba classes when the ship’s been rocking, it’s an interesting experience! I take sea sickness pills so never feel sick though.
I once went on a ferry in Japan which had an onsen (like a hot spring) on board. It was really strange to sit in a huge warm bath, staring out to sea while the boat rocked me and sploshed water around!
That’s what made me think zumba must be interesting!
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Funnily enough the only time that I’ve felt a bit queasy was when I was in a swimming pool when the water was sloshing back and forth.
It sounds like your having a good time! I love Zumba it will really get you movin’ and rockin’ all day.
Looks like you had a wonderful time there. I liked how you managed to list so many things out of a pretty relaxing day.
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The great thing about a cruise is that you can do as much or as little as you like!
I have never been on a cruise ship before. Although it does seem like you can easily fill a full day(s) on board I love to explore on land more. But I am sure there will be a point in time I will give it a try. It sounds ideal the 1-day you have planned for yourself.
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The reason I cruise is for the destinations definitely. Sea days are a great way to break up the port days and necessary to be able to reach particular destinations such as Hawaii.
I’ve never been on a cruise myself but know many who have and they all love it. I guess I’d be worried about what to do between stops but it’s clear from your post that there’s plenty to do! Thanks for sharing!
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It’s definitely a common worry for people taking their first cruise but there is so much to do. I’ve come back from a cruise which did 5 sea days in a row and I still didn’t do everything on offer.
I so want to go for a cruise! This post is so inspiring!
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You need to get one booked! Let me know if you need any help with suggestions on where to go.
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Just book one, I can assure you, you won’t regret it!
Looks like you had an amazing, relaxing time on the cruise. I have yet to take a cruise but your post makes me want to plan one such vacation soon! Thanks for sharing the details.
I’ve never done a cruise before, but I’m tempted to now after reading your post! I like the sound of the food options on board, I’d get carried away! I’d love to try one one day and have my own sea day!
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You definitely should, as for the food on a cruise, you are totally spoiled!
My perfect sea day is lounging on the beach gazing the sunset waiting for the night. As the night comes hearing the sea waves and looking all the stars up above. I enjoyed reading you’re experienced. It’s nice that you got to dress up during your trip.
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I don’t get the chance to dress up very often so it’s a nice thing to do.
Wow, quite an active day! It never crossed my mind to work out while I’m on a cruise. I’d feel punished, lol! Your post made me miss going on a cruise. The only problem I have with cruises is that they tempt you with too much good food!
I am such a huge fan of cruises! I absolutely loved reading that detailed journal of your day – I think it is great to show “non-cruisers” how many different things you can do on a cruise ship and why it is so interesting! I’ve been to three cruises so far – and I plan on many more 😀
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There is so much to do, boredom is a fear that many first-time cruisers have but as I’m sure you know, it’s not an issue.
I have taken many cruise trips already. On a sea day I was always busy doing activities. In between I enjoyed food!
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The food is so good!
What a day! Truly a cruise ship offers a lot to both calm and excite a seagoer. You wake up late and go to bed late. A full day.
What a perfect day spent in a cruise .. i world love such kind of holiday someday provided i have all that money to spend and book myself a luxurious cruise .
Lovely essay .. ofcourse the azzure of blue colour around u makes you at peace always .
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You don’t need lots of money to book a cruise these days. My cruise last year worked out to be £70 per day including food and flights!
A day spent in a cruise is always a great idea! I’m a big fan of cruising even though I don’t get to do it as often as I would like to. You’re right about boredom being a fear that many first-time cruisers have but I never felt bored while on a cruise 🙂
This looks like a perfectly relaxing day on the cruise. I have never been on a cruise and one of the main reasons is that I think I would be bored there. But now I think there are a lot of things that we can actually do on a cruise. And yes, I would love to attend a Zumba class on a cruise.
I have experienced a cruise once and I can vouch for it. There is a lot to do on a cruise itself. I especially love that cruises have so many options for dining. Also, theater performances make it worth a revisit. I also enjoy lazing around on the pool deck during evening. And let me tell you cruising can get addictive, haha! After reading your blog I am craving for some cruise time again!
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Once you’ve tried a cruise, it’s hard not to want to book another!