Ten Things To Do On A Cruise To Nowhere

One of the most popular cruise destinations these days is…. nowhere. Several operators offer this type of vacation. All you have to do is board your cruise ship, settle in to your cabin or stateroom, kick back and relax. There’s no shuttling back and forth between ship and shore, and your time is completely your own. But how do you fill it? Here are some suggestions:

Shop: Most cruise ships have extensive shopping malls, including duty-free shops. If you’re intending to buy duty-free goods, make sure that you check the rules about what and how much you can bring ashore. You don’t want the nice guys from US customs taking your booty from you! One of the great joys of cruise ship shopping is that the mall is very close at hand and is open for long hours. So you can window shop, consider your purchase over a meal or another activity, and buy the goods at your leisure.

Play: Tennis, bowling, pool, shuffleboard, climbing – yes, there are a huge range of sports and games you can play aboard ship. For most of them you can hire the appropriate equipment on board. Some ships are even equipped with golf driving facilities – it’s unlikely anyone’s going to fill up the Pacific with golf balls, after all, however long they play.

Read: Take some of those books with you that you’ve been meaning to read. Grab a sun lounger and lose yourself. A word of warning: don’t just bring weighty classics, thinking you’ll force yourself to read them while aboard. Bring a mix of fiction, history, travel, biography and so on. Most cruise ships have bookshops or libraries where you can get hold of absorbing reading material.

Learn: Learning is a lifelong experience, and there’s no reason to take a break from it on your cruise! Many cruise lines offer on-board talks and lectures on a huge range of topics from resident experts who are available for a drink and a chat afterwards.

Dine: There are few cruise ships these days that aren’t equipped with a range of dining facilities – everything from ornate Edwardian ballrooms to slick, modern burger bars for the kids. Do bear in mind that dress codes are usually enforced in the more upmarket of a ship’s eateries – but appropriate evening wear can be hired.

Talk: You’re on board a ship for several days with hundreds, if not thousands, of people whom you have never before met. So get to know them. These people are all on a cruise to nowhere for the same reason as you – they want to get away from the hassle and hubbub of everyday life and relax a while. So you have something in common! Getting to know your shipmates can be the most enjoyable part of any cruise!

Work Out: You might think that a cruise ship is just the kind of place where a body can pile on the pounds – and you’d be right! Fortunately, most modern cruise ships are equipped with fully kitted-out gyms. Most also have a personal trainer or two on the staff, so you can pick up some training tips while you’re on board. Some of the larger ships also have running circuits marked out around the upper decks, so you don’t need to break your training routine while you’re away. Remember, though, that the best time to run on board ship is early in the morning, before it gets crowded.

Be Entertained: All cruise ships have a very comprehensive schedule of entertainment, from kids’ activities such as face painting to full-scale theatrical productions. At any point during the day there is probably some kind of live music going on, too, whether it’s a rock band or a lounge pianist. There’s usually no charge for shipboard entertainment, as everything is included in the price of your cruise. For some shows advance booking may be required, however.

Explore: Ships are huge, complex places, and there’s a great deal to see. Most cruise lines lay on guided tours for those interested in how modern ships work, and it’s well worth signing up for a look around to learn more about the fantastic vessel you’re on board.

Relax: The whole point of a Cruise to Nowhere is to kick back and relax – enjoy yourself, have fun, meet new people, enjoy great food, drink and entertainment. In short, the number one tip is: have fun!