Potentially strange question about cruises

I've never been on a cruise, but I'm looking to go on one some time next year. I think I'd like to do a cruise to nowhere, but they don't seem to have any that leave from anywhere other than Virginia or New York. I'm about two hours drive from 4 different ports in Florida, so I'd be leaving from one of those.

My strange question: Do you have to leave the boat at the different ports of call? I honestly have no real desire to adventure around most of the places the boat docks, I just want to get away on a boat for a few days and be catered to in some fashion.

No reason you can't stay on the boat. You're paying the freight!

Corey said:

I've never been on a cruise, but I'm looking to go on one some time next year. I think I'd like to do a cruise to nowhere, but they don't seem to have any that leave from anywhere other than Virginia or New York. I'm about two hours drive from 4 different ports in Florida, so I'd be leaving from one of those.

My strange question: Do you have to leave the boat at the different ports of call? I honestly have no real desire to adventure around most of the places the boat docks, I just want to get away on a boat for a few days and be catered to in some fashion.

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thats what I'm talking about. I don't want to have to plan to get off the boat and then worry about making it back by a certain time. I'd rather just hang out on the boat and check out all the stuff while the boat is nearly empty.

See if you can find a cruise that doesn't port often.

I've cruised a fair bit: there's certainly no requirement to leave the ship in port, and many people stay aboard, for mobility reasons if nothing else. A couple of points though:
1) you might actually want a change of pace after a couple of days sailing. Cruise ships are big, but it still doesn't take that long to exhaust the entertainment opportunities;
2) alcohol is usually cheaper in port, if that's your thing;
3) onboard casinos are generally closed while in port, if that's your thing;
4) You don't need to book an excursion, you can just wander around, shop, find a beach, etc. And you can leave/return to the ship whenever and as often as you feel like it.

They run a few two night cruise to nowheres from Miami each year, but you can definitely go on a longer cruise and just stay on the ship. We've done a few Bahamas cruises from Miami and not bothered getting off in Nassau the last few times.

TheDeadlyBulb said:

2) alcohol is usually cheaper in port, if that's your thing;
3) onboard casinos are generally closed while in port, if that's your thing;

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Get me off this boat!

TheDeadlyBulb said:

I've cruised a fair bit: there's certainly no requirement to leave the ship in port, and many people stay aboard, for mobility reasons if nothing else. A couple of points though:
1) you might actually want a change of pace after a couple of days sailing. Cruise ships are big, but it still doesn't take that long to exhaust the entertainment opportunities;
2) alcohol is usually cheaper in port, if that's your thing;
3) onboard casinos are generally closed while in port, if that's your thing;
4) You don't need to book an excursion, you can just wander around, shop, find a beach, etc. And you can leave/return to the ship whenever and as often as you feel like it.

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^ ^ ^

This. It's entirely up to you.

You can stay on the boat.

Absolutely! I've been with the wife on a few trips, and is Jamaica is on the itinerary we stay on the boat for that one. Other islands though, like Grand Cayman, the Bahamas, and Key West, are a great time and you'll wish you had gotten off the boat and enjoyed them.

TheDeadlyBulb said:

2) alcohol is usually cheaper in port, if that's your thing;
3) onboard casinos are generally closed while in port, if that's your thing;

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Toothpick said:

Get me off this boat!

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Jason:
...and if the Smoking Lounge is closed while in port..."Get me off this boat"!

"A cruise used to be a luxury, but in today's world it has become a necessity". Author Unknown

My Aunt went on a cruise last summer. Out of Galveston to Mexico ports. She got off the boat at one port in Mexico, fell and broke her arm. They wanted to rush her to the local hospital, she said no way, get me back to that boat. The sickbay on the ship was perfectly equipped to handle such injuries. Plus, the ship probably would have left her there. Good call.

We cruise just about every year (I prefer resorts, but SWMBO is boss ). Even if you don't want to go on walkabout or a shore excursion, hitting up a port-side pub or "refreshment" booth makes for a nice change of scenery. Just wait until about an hour or so after the disembarkment is allowed; that way the rush is over and you can leisurely saunter out. Plus, you can get some nice photo ops with the ship in the background.

I've gotten off on the 2 cruises I've been on. I've done some random excursions, but mostly just wander around the tourist trap areas close to the port. Its nice to stop in some of the places off of the ship to get some drinks.

Some of the lines have their own "island". Disney for example did. Disney's is actually a very tiny little island. There is no resort, but there may have been a small area for a skeleton crew to stay. All of the other stations there were manned by the crew of the ship. That stop was amazing. Get off the ship, and you have a fully equipped beach. Everything is just like it is on the ship. They serve a meal on the stop. You don't pay extra for anything like beach chairs, towels etc. Every other stop on the trip dumped us out into a tourst trap area lined with shops selling cheap jewlery and nicknacks. You had to take a transport at least 20 minutes to get to a beach if thats what you wanted to do.

That being said, I'd be perfectly content to go on a cruise that drives you around for 5 days with no stops.

Corey said:

I've never been on a cruise, but I'm looking to go on one some time next year. I think I'd like to do a cruise to nowhere, but they don't seem to have any that leave from anywhere other than Virginia or New York. I'm about two hours drive from 4 different ports in Florida, so I'd be leaving from one of those.

My strange question: Do you have to leave the boat at the different ports of call? I honestly have no real desire to adventure around most of the places the boat docks, I just want to get away on a boat for a few days and be catered to in some fashion.

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I know you said you wanted to go on a cruise but.......
Why not take one of those all inclusive vacations to one of those Caribbean places. We stayed in Jamaica for 6 nights and with flight and everything it was $1,200.00 per person. The resort was incredible and we didn't have to go anywhere. We sat by the pool and the Caribbean and ate when we wanted. It was the most relaxing vacation I have ever experienced. No tipping either. All drinks included. Incredible. The staff was friendly and helpful.
I enjoyed it so much more than the cruises I have been on.

Take one to the Panama Canal. Often there are no stops on that one.

One reason to go on a cruise : your bathroom

Nothing, and I mean NOTHING, will make you appreciate what you have at home more than this!

My recommendation is to take a cruise along a coast, like Alaska or Nova Scotia, that way there is something to see while you are cruising other than water and the low green hump of whatever island port you are at. Unless you just want to experience the ship itself (and some of those massive new ones are cities!) you plan seems like a lot of expense and trouble without any benefit. Maybe an all-inclusive resort in Jamaica or the DR would serve you better? Port days are usually when the ship itself winds down, so while the bars and pools are open, a lot of the other entertainment options may not be, and shops typically close due to port taxes (and a desire to get you off the ship to spend money in the cruise lined owned shops on shore).

But one of those mega-ships, yeah, might stay on-board all the time on one of those. Get the zip-line and wave pool all to myself

Corey said:

I've never been on a cruise, but I'm looking to go on one some time next year. I think I'd like to do a cruise to nowhere, but they don't seem to have any that leave from anywhere other than Virginia or New York. I'm about two hours drive from 4 different ports in Florida, so I'd be leaving from one of those.

My strange question: Do you have to leave the boat at the different ports of call? I honestly have no real desire to adventure around most of the places the boat docks, I just want to get away on a boat for a few days and be catered to in some fashion.

Click to expand...

Absolutely, you can stay on the ship. They make more money when you stay on board

"Never get out of the boat." Absolutely right! Unless you were goin' all the way... Kurtz got off the boat.