12 Cruise Sea Day Mistakes That Can Ruin Your Day at Sea

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Sea days are some of my favorite days on a cruise.

After several busy port days, I actually look forward to having nowhere I need to be.

I can sleep a little later, have a leisurely breakfast, explore the ship and finally try some of the activities I kept saying I would get around to.

But after more than 25 cruises, I’ve also learned that sea days can go wrong easily.

You can spend half the day looking for a lounge chair, realize too late that you missed an activity you wanted to do, or pack your schedule so full that your supposedly relaxing sea day becomes exhausting.

Here are 12 cruise sea day mistakes I try to avoid.

1. Waiting Until the Morning to Figure Out What You Want to Do

One of the biggest sea day mistakes is waking up without any idea what’s happening around the ship.

Sea days are usually packed with activities.

There might be trivia, game shows, cooking demonstrations, dance classes, port talks, live music, afternoon tea and activities that only happen once during your cruise.

I always check the cruise app or daily planner ahead of time and make a note of anything I really don’t want to miss.

You don’t need to plan every minute of your day, but it’s frustrating to discover at 3 p.m. that something you wanted to do happened at 10 that morning.

And on newer ships, some of the most popular activities and shows may require reservations.

If there is something you really want to do, check early.

2. Trying to Do Everything

The opposite mistake is trying to squeeze every single activity into one day.

I’ve looked at cruise planners where there seems to be something happening every 15 minutes.

It can be tempting to bounce from trivia to a cooking demonstration to bingo to a dance class and then rush straight to another event.

But you’re on vacation.

You don’t get a prize for completing the cruise planner.

Pick a few things that interest you and leave time to do absolutely nothing.

Some of my favorite sea day moments have been sitting somewhere with an ocean view, having a cup of coffee and not worrying about what activity starts next.

3. Going to the Main Pool at the Busiest Time

If you head to the main pool around late morning on a sunny sea day, don’t be surprised if it feels like everyone on the ship had the same idea.

Sea days are when the pool deck is usually busiest.

Lounge chairs can be difficult to find, the hot tubs fill up and the whole area can get noisy.

If I really want a pool day, I try to go earlier in the morning.

Another option is to explore the ship and look for less obvious outdoor areas.

On Norwegian Aqua, for example, I actually preferred Ocean Boulevard on Deck 8 to the main pool area.

There are lounge chairs and infinity pools along the sides of the ship, and it felt much more relaxing.

The lesson is: don’t assume the main pool is the only place to spend time outside.

Explore.

4. Forgetting to Prepare for Seasickness

Sea days can sometimes be the days when you feel the ship’s movement the most, especially if you’re crossing open water or the weather is rough.

If you’re prone to seasickness, don’t wait until you already feel sick to do something about it.

I’m personally very sensitive to motion, so on sea days I usually take my anti-seasickness medication with breakfast.

That way, I’m prepared before the ship starts feeling choppy.

For me, the goal is to prevent seasickness rather than try to catch up once I’m already nauseous.

Everyone reacts differently, but if you know you’re sensitive to motion, sea day is not the day to forget about your meds.

I’d much rather prepare in the morning and enjoy my day than spend hours feeling miserable in my cabin.

5. Missing Loyalty Parties and Exclusive Events

Sea days are also when cruise lines often schedule loyalty events, member parties and other special activities.

These can be easy to miss if you don’t pay attention to the invitations they send you.

For example, on Celebrity Cruises, higher tier Captain’s Club members are invited to complimentary events such as wine tastings during a sea day.

MSC Cruises also schedules loyalty parties during sea days.

If you have loyalty status with the cruise line, make sure you check what’s happening before the day gets away from you.

Some of these events only happen once during the cruise, so if you miss them, you will not get another chance.

6. Saving Your Exploration for a Port Day

Sea day is one of the best times to actually see what your cruise ship has to offer.

It’s surprisingly easy to spend an entire cruise rotating between your cabin, the buffet, the pool and the main theater without seeing half the ship.

Use some of your sea day to explore.

Walk around the upper decks. Check out the lounges. Look for game areas, observation lounges, libraries and outdoor promenades.

On Norwegian Aqua, The Stadium on Deck 18 has complimentary games like foosball, ping pong, cornhole and shuffleboard.

It’s the kind of place you could easily miss if you never wander beyond the main pool deck.

I’ve been on cruises where I didn’t discover a great lounge or quiet area until late in the trip and immediately wished I’d found it sooner.

7. Eating at the Buffet Just Because It’s Convenient

The buffet can be one of the craziest places on the ship during a sea day.

Everyone is onboard, and many passengers head to the buffet at roughly the same time.

Instead of automatically going there for lunch, check what other complimentary restaurants are open.

Sea days can actually be a great time to have lunch in the main dining room because you’re not rushing to get off the ship.

On Norwegian Aqua, I also really liked Indulge Food Hall. You order from an iPad and the servers bring the food to your table, so you get lots of choices without walking around juggling plates.

Take advantage of the fact that you have time.

You might end up having a much better meal than you would fighting the buffet crowd.

8. Eating and Drinking Like It’s Your Last Day

Unlimited food plus a drink package can be a dangerous combination on a sea day.

There is food everywhere.

You have breakfast, see something interesting at the buffet, get a poolside snack, have lunch, find afternoon tea, stop for another snack and suddenly you’re supposed to go to dinner.

I’ve definitely learned to pace myself.

I especially don’t want to eat a massive lunch if I have a dinner reservation or there’s something I want to try later that evening.

The same goes for drinks.

Just because you bought a beverage package doesn’t mean you need to get your money’s worth before noon.

A sea day is a lot less enjoyable if you spend half of it feeling miserable because you ate or drank too much.

9. Sleeping Through the Entire Day

I love sleeping in on a sea day.

What I wouldn’t do is stay in my cabin until late afternoon unless that’s how I wanted to spend my vacation.

Sea days are often when the cruise line schedules the most onboard activities because everyone is on the ship.

Even if you aren’t someone who loves organized activities, get out of your cabin for a while.

Have a leisurely breakfast.

Walk around the promenade.

Find a quiet lounge.

Sit outside and look at the ocean.

You don’t need to be busy, but you also don’t want to get home and realize you barely experienced the ship you paid to sail on.

10. Missing the Quietest Places on the Ship

If the pool deck is packed, don’t assume the entire ship is crowded.

There are almost always quieter places if you know where to look.

One of my favorite spots on Norwegian Aqua was the Observation Lounge.

It has amazing ocean views, comfortable seating and even a small buffet with sandwiches, fruit, desserts, water and coffee.

It’s a great place to read, play cards or simply sit and watch the ocean.

On other ships, I look for libraries, promenade decks, quieter lounges or less-used outdoor decks.

Sometimes you only need to walk a few minutes away from the main pool to feel like you’re on a completely different ship.

11. Forgetting About the Next Port

Sea days are for relaxing, but they’re also a good time to get ready for your next port.

If it’s somewhere I’ve never visited before, I’ll usually spend a little time figuring out what we’re doing.

Some cruise lines hold port talks where you can learn about transportation, attractions and what to expect when you arrive.

You can also use the cruise app or your own research to make sure you know the basics.

I like to stop by the shore excursion desk and ask the staff there basic port and transportation questions.

Do you need cash?

Is it a tender port?

What time do you need to be back onboard?

Are there Ubers available at the port?

I’d much rather figure those things out during a relaxing sea day than scramble the next morning while everyone is trying to get off the ship.

12. Forgetting About the Sun

This is an easy mistake to make because you’re surrounded by ocean breezes and it may not feel especially hot.

But if you’re sitting outside for hours, you can still get a serious sunburn.

And getting badly sunburned halfway through your cruise can make the next few days miserable.

If I’m spending my sea day outside, I use sunscreen and reapply it.

I also try to find some shade rather than sitting in direct sun for the entire day.

You still have the rest of your cruise to enjoy.

13. Spending Too Much Money Because You’re Bored

Sea days provide plenty of opportunities to spend money.

The casino is open.

The shops are open.

There may be art auctions, spa promotions, paid activities, specialty restaurants and sales happening throughout the ship.

But boredom spending can add up surprisingly quickly.

My dad learned this with cruise art auctions. He got caught up in the excitement and bought several pieces of art that eventually ended up sitting in his attic.

Sea days are designed to keep you entertained, but you don’t need to pay for everything.

There are usually plenty of complimentary things to do.

14. Forgetting That a Sea Day Is Supposed to Be a Vacation

This might be the biggest mistake of all.

It’s easy to turn a sea day into another packed itinerary.

You wake up early, rush to breakfast, hurry to trivia, go to an activity, fight for a pool chair, squeeze in lunch, run to another event and suddenly you’re exhausted.

Sometimes the best sea day is the one where you don’t do very much.

Sleep in.

Have a long breakfast.

Take a walk around the ship.

Read a book.

Have lunch somewhere you haven’t tried.

Take an afternoon nap.

Sit somewhere with an ocean view.

After busy days sightseeing in port, I actually think sea days are one of the best opportunities to slow down and enjoy being on a cruise ship.

You don’t have to maximize every minute.

You’re on vacation.