The cure for boredom is curiosity. There is no cure for curiosity. – Dorothy Parker

How boring is it?

It’s really boring to go on a cruise, right?  To be stuck on the water in a ship for days is horrible.  Think again!  You’ll find that there’s no time to be bored on a cruise ship.  More likely is that you won’t have enough time to do everything you want to do.

You can do nothing if you want

But….If you want to do nothing, you’re all set. There’s nothing wrong with that. I like to do nothing sometimes. As an introvert, it helps me to re-charge. For those who like it peaceful, a nice deck chair or hammock on the adult’s only deck with a good book is wonderful.  Climb into the whirlpool bath and just chill out watching the ocean go by.  Or get an ocean view balcony room and just totally relax to the sound of the waves. 

I love to watch for the flying fish, and always hope that I’ll see a dolphin swim by.  Heck, I even hope to see a whale.  You never know.  Go to the buffet, get a cup of coffee and a dessert, or pick up your favorite mixed drink, and just people watch.  Just relax in your cabin watching TV, or take a nap in your cabin or on a deck chair.  A cruise is a great time to catch up on your rest.  You want to come back refreshed, not worn out.

Or you can do a lot

But, if you can’t stand the thought of just sitting around twiddling your thumbs, you’re in luck.  Every ship is different, but you’re always going to find tons of stuff to do.  Do you like to play Bingo?  They have it.  Trivia games?  Seems like there’s one in progress all of the time.  Or would you just rather sit and relax to a piano man?  You’ll find all genres of music, from Rock and Roll, Country, and Contemporary in different areas around the ship. 

On one of our recent cruises, we accidentally came upon a bluegrass group who were there for a private party practicing on the deck.  That was one of the best things about that cruise. We enjoyed it tremendously.  Or, if you’d rather gamble, the Casino is almost as glittery as a Vegas Casino (But probably a lot more smoky).  Try your luck at the tables or slot machines.

Outdoor activities

If that sounds like stuff old people do, then there are all of the outdoor activities.  Of course you have the swimming pools, shuffleboard, miniature golf, line dancing contests, DJ, and running track, but you also have the Hairy Chest Contest, belly flop contest, and anything else the Cruise Director can think of. 

And don’t forget the workout center (although I rarely see the inside of one).  They have everything that you need to work off those extra calories, along with a great view of the ocean.  Some of the ships have even better outdoor activities such as rock climbing walls, flowriders, basketball hoops, ping pong tables, rides, and ziplines. 

There will be parties on the pool deck and in the Promenade. We went on a Halloween cruise, and there was a huge Halloween party, including costume judging.  For the kids, there are arcades, swimming, and private activities in group settings where the crew actually watches your kids for you.  Most ships have children’s/teen’s areas where they can socialize with others, and have lots of fun at the same time.  That’s a great time for mom and dad to get a break.

Entertainment

There is a lot of entertainment aboard the ship also.  Send-Off Parties, Welcome Aboard shows, Excursion information shows, Port Shopping shows, and of course the Headline Entertainment shows.  Depending on your ship, you’ll get Broadway shows, song and dance shows, magicians. And of course, comedians, both family friendly and adult rated late night shows.  And a lot of ships now have huge screen televisions with nightly movies.  Chill out with some popcorn and enjoy the show. Some of the Royal Caribbean ships even have 3D movies.  You’ll find something for every night of the week.

At port

Once you get to your ports, there will be even more things to do.  Some people just decide to stay on the ship and enjoy the relative peace and quiet since a lot of the other cruisers have gone to port and on excursions.  Or, you can go into the port town and just explore and shop.  Many of the ports have Mercados (Markets) with plenty of local merchandise. I always enjoy seeing what other cultures live like. 

You can book an excursion through the ship or through one of the local tour groups.  Go to a local beach or all-inclusive beach club. Snorkel. Take a bus ride around the island and see the sites.  Do something a little out of your comfort zone.  You’ll find quite a few different excursions on your ship’s website. I am not very adventurous, but on my last cruise I actually went on a zipline and loved it.  Before that I snorkeled, although it was in very shallow water since I don’t swim.  I’ve held a stingray at Stingray City, and I’ve gone down in a semi-submersible sub.  Our next cruise I’m booked on a tall ship.  Try something new.  Have fun!

Doesn’t sound to me like “There’s nothing to do” at all!  Enjoy!