Is a Three Day Cruise Even Worth it?

Some say weekend cruises aren’t worth your time. I disagree and here’s why…

By the time you get to the cruise port, find your cabin, unpack and go through the muster drill it’s almost time to go home. So why even bother with a three day cruise? That’s the school of thought, anyway. I couldn’t disagree more.

Sometimes all we need to recharge and regroup is three blissful days on a cruise ship. I’ve sailed on a three, a seven and a ten day voyage. Each has its own positives and negatives.

On the ten day, we spent three days at sea. By the third, I was ready to step on dry land again. Still, I couldn’t have visited all those southern Caribbean islands like St. Lucia and Barbados if the cruise had been any shorter.

Our last weekend cruise was 25 years ago (our very first voyage) and it was a great introduction to cruising. We got to visit Paradise Island in the Bahamas (via Nassau) and Disney’s private island, Castaway Cay.

It was a short jaunt to test out our sea legs and figure out whether cruising was for us. Despite a few hiccups, we ultimately decided it was. The weekend we sailed must have been a big school holiday because all the pools were crowded. My suggestion would be to choose a time when some schools are still in session (possibly late May or mid August) or travel with “kids” over 18. Then you can take advantage of the adults only beach. We got a glimpse of it and it was spectacular.

The “adults only” pools were empty. We know first hand. My son and I jumped in (he was six at the time) and promptly got kicked out. He is 31 now, and even a bigger Disney fan than he was then!

Our Next cruise aboard the gigantic Legend of the Seas will give us one day at CocoCay (RC’s private island in the Bahamas) and one day at sea. Hardly enough time to try the 40 some eateries on board.

We’ll probably stick mostly with Coastal Kitchen, the designated restaurant for suite guests. Since we have never stayed in a full-on suite (only a mini suite aboard Princess) we want to take in the entire experience, and not miss a thing.

People have said to me, “Why are you going on such a short cruise? Don’t you want to wait for a longer one so you can really enjoy the ship?”

Actually, we chose this sailing because I am not sure we will like the mega ship experience. My husband and I usually spend a lot of time on the top deck of the ship walking around the track.

But on Legend of the Seas, the top deck is taken up by a water slide; and the track, although longer than the one on Enchanted Princess at a quarter mile, only goes halfway around the ship. 

My husband says we will adapt. I am not so sure. What do you do? Stop and turn around? I guess we will get used to it. Just hope people and their strollers don’t block our way.

That’s another thing I will have to get used to…kids. Even though our sailing dates don’t coincide with a school holiday, people on the cruise forums say it doesn’t matter. There will be a lot of kids to contend with.

Again, my husband says it won’t matter. We like kids, right? Of course we do…In small doses.

Do you understand now why I am happy to sail on a three day cruise, in order to test the waters? Maybe we will love the mega ship concept and will never go back to a smaller vessel…Or maybe not. I will let you know.