10 Things To Do On A Sea Day
Updated Feb 2017
A full day at sea - some people love them and others will not even book a cruise if it has more than one sea day.
I cruised onboard Royal Caribbean’s Adventure of the Seas which included four full days at sea. As much as I love exploring new ports, I am more than happy to spend all day exploring the ship. For me, sea days are a great way to experience everything a ship has to offer.
Based on my cruise with Royal Caribbean, I came up with this list of ten things to do on a sea day…
Have a massage
We all want to feel special when we go on holiday and there is no better way than switching off in a tranquil room surrounded by aromatic smells, relaxing sounds and allowing a highly qualified masseuse take over. All spas will offer an extensive range of massages including hot stones, bamboo and couples massages.
Other spa facilities include saunas, facials, pedicures, hair styling, acupuncture and nail care. Sea days are a great time to visit the spa as you can spend as long as you want in there without having to worry about activities you have booked ashore.
Go to the gym
On my twelve night cruise, I am embarrassed to say I only went to the gym once. I feel extremely guilty but there was so much going on around the ship that the gym just didn’t attract me enough. The day I did go was a sea day and it made me wish I went more as it offered a huge selection of state-of-the-art equipment.
Sea days ensure there is no excuse not to make the most of the gym. You can go in the morning, during the day or in the evening after a busy day.
Take part in an organised activity such as trivia
Sea days are packed with activities and the cruise staff work from morning to night to ensure there is something going on at every minute of the day. From trivia, gameshows, seminars, dance lessons and art auctions, I wouldn’t believe anyone who said sea days are boring!
People go from saying “trivia is not my thing” to being the most competitive player in the game. From various themes such as general knowledge, music or TV, it is a light-hearted game that ensures laughs, fun and meeting new friends.
Play bingo
I had never played bingo in my life until my friend thought it would be a good idea to play on our cruise. Feeling slightly skeptical, I thought I would give it a go nonetheless. After only fifteen minutes, my thoughts had changed about the game and I was having more fun that I expected.
Not all cruise lines offer bingo onboard but if it is offered I would recommend it for those who want to do something different that guarantees an hour of laughing.
Visit the casino
Do you feel lucky on a cruise? I know I do. Although I am no casino expert, I love the atmosphere of the competitive vibes from all around, mixed with the clashing of chips and the occasional winning scream.
Whether you want to play on slot machines or try your hand at Black Jack or Roulette, many cruise lines boast large casinos that are a gaming heaven for everyone.
Cocktail making class
Everytime I have a cocktail I say "I wish I could make this myself", so during my recent cruise I thought it was about time I learnt something about these delicious drinks. Taking part in the afternoon of a sea day, it was one of the highlights of my cruise.
Hosted by one of the barmen, he taught us what to mix, how to mix and what makes a good cocktail. I can’t wait to host a cocktail party at my house now to impress my friends with my cocktail making skills.
Pool games
If you are cruising around sun-drenched destinations, the pool is where you will find everyone on a sea day. Instead of spending all day beached on a sun lounger, why not take part in one of the pool games? Even if you do not know the rules, they are fun for everyone.
From water volleyball, water basketball, and water obstacle races, the sports staff will host a range of games throughout the day.
Go shopping
Cruise ships are home to small shopping malls with a range of boutiques from clothes, jewellery and beauty products - and the great thing is they are all duty free.
Due to the duty free prices, the shops cannot be open when the ship is docked in port, making sea days the best time to indulge in a little holiday retail therapy. Whether its time to treat yourself to a new bag, get some perfume for your wife or buy some souvenirs to take home, making some time for a little cruise shopping spree is a must.
Take a walk and explore the ship
I guarantee you will find yourself at least once during your cruise saying "I haven’t seen this part yet". There are so many venues and different parts of the ship to see that you often find you have not explored the ship properly.
Sea days are the perfect time to thoroughly explore your floating home. From the different venues, interesting outer decks and hidden locations, taking some time to delve around your ship will bring hours of intriguing exploration.
Relax
Taking time to simply relax is something too many of us ever find time for, even on holiday we find ourselves rushing around exploring and trying to fit everything in to our days. This is why sea days are the best time to let your mind and bod escape into a state of pure relaxation.
Whether you want to lie around the pool, relax with a book in the library or simply take an afternoon nap on your balcony, use a sea day to take full advantage of some me time.
Related blogs:
Can you do 100 activities onboard Allure of the Seas in one day?