Welcome! My name is Beatrice, but my friends call me Bea. I’m the owner Journey Bee Vacations and your travel advisor for all things Cruising, Family Vacations, All-Inclusive Resorts, Luxury Travel, and Homeschool Adventures that tie directly to your curriculum.
I’m coming to you today from a lounger in the Solarium, an adults-only pool and whirlpool retreat, aboard Royal Caribbean’s Adventure of the Seas. We are currently docked at Falmouth, Jamaica on a 6-night voyage out of Port Canaveral, Florida.
I bet you’re asking yourself what kind of crazy person chooses to stay on the ship when they could go to Jamaica. If you could see me, you’d see my hand in the air and hear me saying that I’m that kind of crazy but also that it’s not really crazy.
Here are my top 3 reasons why staying on the ship on a port day is the best way to maximize your cruise:
#1: The Law of Supply and Demand
The average guest capacity in the commercial cruise industry is around 3000 people. On a regular day that’s 3000 people competing for elevators, buffet lines, the good theater seats, drinks, soft serve on the pool deck, space in the pools and hot tubs, turns at the water slides, and the coveted deck chairs! Most days on a cruise ship Demand makes Supply slow at the least, and often in the case of deck chairs, non-existent. When 2500 of the guests are ashore there are deck chairs aplenty, the elevators are practically personal vehicles, and pools and hot tubs can actually be relaxing. There’s no jockeying for position or arriving 30 minutes early for seats in the theater. The pressure of implied and real scarcity is reduced to nearly nothing. Relaxation can actually be relaxing.
Fewer people also means more personal attention from crew. You never know, you might just meet the Captain or the Hotel Director while sipping a Guinness at the pub on the Promenade.
#2: Cruising in Low Gear
Shore excursions usually meet first thing in the morning which can be as early as 6:30 am! Self-touring can start as soon as the ship receives clearance. Both are early starts. Staying aboard lets you sleep in! You can ease your way into the world of the waking without a rush to meet someone else’s scheduling demands. After all, isn’t relaxation high on your list of reasons to take a vacation?
#3: Saving money!
Shore excursions can cost upward of $200 per person. For example,if you are traveling as a family of 4 to Nassau, Bahamas and choose a 5-hour dolphin swim and beach day excursion, the regular price is right at $250.00 per adult and prices for children are near $200. That brings the total for this tour to $900! Staying on board and enjoying the ship saves almost enough for another cruise, and that doesn’t even count the amount you’ll save on tour guide tips, lunch or snacks (if they’re not included in your excursion), and extra souvenirs.
There is no rule that says you can only go ashore on an excursion. You can explore on your own - it’s often more enjoyable and less expensive, but usually not free. You’ll likely pay for a taxi or ride share, waters, snacks, lunch, souvenirs, and tips. Self-touring is the budget conscious option but the costs can still add up to a tidy sum, and it’s a flood that starts as a trickle, mounting slowly until you’ve squeezed your wallet without realizing it.
As a bonus, venues like the spa and specialty restaurants have port day specials that can save a pretty penny on premium experiences.
BONUS: Peace and Quiet
3000 people make a LOT of noise even when they’re trying not to. It’s inevitable really. The volume of shuffling shoes, whispers of “excuse me” and “so sorry”, constant drink and food orders, clanging dishes and silverware, constant elevator dings, and more are dramatically reduced when most of the guests are on land.