8 Reasons to Stay Onboard Your Cruise Ship During a Port Call

 

With the exception of a handful of destination-unto-themselves cruise ships, cruising is very much driven by where you're going; one of its greatest draws is that it enables people to visit several different places in a short time. But that doesn't mean you always have to get off the ship every time it's in port. There are numerous, obvious reasons for staying on your cruise ship during a port call. Maybe you've been to the destination numerous times -- something repeat Caribbean cruisers are quite familiar with. Or perhaps you're on a port-intensive Mediterranean sailing and you just need a day to rest and recover.

If you're weighing the pros and cons of staying onboard during a port of call, here are eight reasons why staying onboard can be a great idea.

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• You'll have the pool to yourself.
• You can ride the water slide as many times as you like.
• You'll save on spa services.
• You'll have no problem grabbing your favorite machine in the fitness center.
• You can do laundry without a wait.
• There are no lines for lunch.
• You might have a better chance at winning trivia.
• You can make a crew friend.

1. You'll have the pool to yourself.

Unless you enjoy sharing the pool with loads of fellow cruisers, including boisterous kids, you might find yourself on the outside looking in most sea days. But on a port day, those pools are invitingly empty -- you might even be able to swim laps! Same holds true for the hot tubs, which tend to fill up quite fast most days. If you prefer to have a hot tub to yourself, or with just you and your honey, pick a port day when everyone else is off the ship.

2. You can ride the water slide as many times as you like.

Love the idea of swishing down the water slide and splashing down at the end, but hate the long wait of getting to the top? Or maybe you feel too embarrassed, the only adult amongst a throng of kids? Then a port day is perfect for you! While you might not have the water slide entirely to yourself, there will never be more than a handful of folks on line with you. Race up and down those steps and slide down to your heart's content.

3. You'll save on spa services.

Spas can't make money if no one's around so they purposefully offer special pricing on port days to entice people to skip time ashore. If you know ahead of time that you'll be staying on the ship in a specific port or two, you've got two choices. You can head to the spa early in the cruise to guarantee the time you want and ask for a port day discount or, if you're able to be more flexible with timing, wait until the night before and see what port day specials are being advertised for the next day. Either way, a little pampering in the spa for less money isn't a bad way to spend an hour or two.

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Tags: Cruise Ship, Port Call