As soon as you get on board, you'll start to learn about all the things your ship has to offer. There are a lot of choices? Given the size of many cruise ships and the number of things to do on board and in port, you won't have much time to feel bored or confined.
Entertainment on ships today includes ice-skating musicals, laser sound and light shows, and orchestral performances backed by technology on par with the best of Broadway and Las Vegas. On some of the newer Princess Cruise ships, you can even watch a movie outside under the stars. The movie is shown on a huge screen on the pool deck while you sip your drink and sit in a lounge chair.
A Cruise Director is on every ship, and his or her job is to make sure that every guest gets the most out of the cruise. In fact, there are so many things to do that you will probably book a longer cruise the next time.
On your floating resort, every day can be a new adventure. The "DAILY PROGRAM" will have something for everyone. It will be sent to your room the night before.
- Go to the cocktail party for the captain
- Play bingo
- Or don't do anything
- Go to a show on Broadway
- Check out live music in the lounge
- Go to the party when the ship leaves each port.
- Look around in the duty-free stores
- Play a game of mini golf
- You can swim or use the hot tub
- Find new places to stop.
- Try out some wines
- Go to the spa and get a massage
- Take a class on how to cook
- Relax and stretch in the sauna
- Try your luck at a casino
- Throw a party with your new pals
- Go to the gym to work out
- Listen to a talk
- Go for a jog
- Watch a movie
- Find out about the ship and all of its different rooms
- Work on your shots in basketball, golf, and tennis
- Take dance classes
- Go to a sale of art
- Go rock climbing
- Disco
- Make some baskets
- Enter sports contests
- See inside the kitchen
- Go to classes for exercise
- Go ice skating
- See a magicians act
- Enter a passenger talent contest
- Check your email at an Internet cafe
- Finish that book you've been meaning to read
- Sleep late
- Dance out in the open air
- Go to bed late
- Play backgammon and/or bridge
- Try the other options for food
- Nap on your balcony
- Sit back in a lounge chair and enjoy the sun and sea air
When you go on a cruise with kids, they will have their own things to do. Most of the big cruise lines have "youth counselors" for people of different ages. Your child would be put with kids of the same age, and the counselor would keep them busy all day with activities that are right for their age. You can go get them lunch if you want to. You can also watch it at dinner if you want to. A parent must sign their child in and out of their special area on the ship every time they go there.
For some people, cruise ships have turned into art galleries on the water. Nearly every cruise ship that comes to the United States now has art auctions so that tourists can buy something to hang on their walls when they get home. There are many original paintings and prints in the hallways, lounges, dining rooms, and recreation rooms at sea. During a cruise, these works of art are the focus of free art walks and lectures.
On many cruises, the cruise line will have a wine tasting or what they call "food pairing." Wine tasting is easy to understand. The chief wine steward sets up different kinds of wine and then has you try different kinds of food with each bottle of wine. This is called "food pairing." On a Celebrity cruise, we did it, and it was very interesting and fun.
No, you are not required to join in the activities on board. Do whatever you want. You can do anything or just sit there and do nothing. That's the great thing about cruising: it's up to you.
