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Aboard in Cruise ships
Aboard in Cruise ships
Large ships will have most or all of the features discussed below...mega-ships even more. Smaller ships (e.g., 600-1200 passenger capacity) will have many of them, but in fewer numbers or smaller scale.
You'll be surrounded by water you can't swim in (it's passing by at 15-20 knots or so), but all but the smallest ships will have at least one "swimming pool" (perhaps covered, otherwise usable only in warm climes) and deck chairs. The pools won't be great for swimming laps, but some new ships are being equipped with small, swim-against-the-current pools. Most are filled with processed seawater.
Without the legal restrictions imposed on land-based facilities, most cruise ships have a casino...not Disney. Expect more emphasis on gaming on ships catering to Americans than for Europeans. Don't expect table games or machines with payoff rates even close to those found in better land-based casinos; concessionaires must pay dearly for the space. It will be open for gaming only while at sea.
However, on larger ships, Las Vegas and Broadway are the models for entertainment. They'll variously feature singing-and-dancing shows, feature singers, comedians, magicians, and other live entertainment. Shows typically follow dinner, but may precede it for those who opt for "late" dinner seating. During and after shows, other venues offer small bands, piano bars, and dancing to live music or a disc jockey.
A movie theater is found on most ships, playing movies similar to those found on airlines. There is usually a library on board for your reading pleasure but don't expect the latest novels unless left behind from an earlier cruise. If cabins have DVD players, the library may have a modest collection of titles. It may offer electronic or board games to check out. Quite commonly, you'll find an Internet cafe (discussed later). Topside you should find someone issuing equipment for basketball, table tennis and other uses.
The ship will often offer space and seating to support impromptu or organized bridge, even tournaments. And staff very often have trivia and other contests. And on most sea days, you'll see at least one large Bingo session offered.
Shopping is readily available, with several stores available on board. (See "Buy" below.) They'll be duty free but don't expect big bargains. They too will be open only while at sea.
You'll receive a daily newsletter with a schedule of activities...apt to mention art auctions (reportedly the "most dangerous place on a ship"), bingo, kitchen tours, port and shopping lectures, cruise enhancement lectures (by naturalists, historians, political scientists, et al), arts and crafts lessons, poolside contests, dancing classes, etc. Family-oriented cruises will have many age-specific activities geared to the kids and teens.
Most ships have a gym or health center with exercise machines. They often offer instruction programs in exercise regimes or Tai Chi, etc., some at small extra cost. Many people use the "promenade" deck or topside track. The former usually loops around the ship around mid-decks ? for walking or jogging, but may have stairs that interrupt you. If so, a topside track might be better if available. Some ships find room for putting greens, golf simulator, a basketball or tennis court (enclosed by ball-catching nets) topside. Some very-large ships have ice rinks, rock climbing walls, "surf parks" and other activities.
Spa facilities are a staple of cruise ships. Everything from massages to hairdressing to exotic health and beauty treatments are available...at substantial extra costs.
Look for laundromats in ship descriptions. If the cruise spans seven or more days and the ship does not offer them, you may have to pack substantially more clothes. Any offered will have two or more pairs of washers/dryers, detergent and softener dispensers (most taking coins/tokens), and irons and ironing boards. All ships offer laundry services, but they'll be pricey. Lacking laundromats, some folks bring detergent (e.g., Woolite) to hand wash select items in their cabin...though humidity creates a drying challenge.
The Most Frequently Asked Travel Questions about Cruise ships
Where To Stay & Best Hotels in Cruise ships - updated Apr 2024
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Cruise ships Travel Guide from Wikitravel. Many thanks to all Wikitravel contributors. Text is available under Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 3.0, images are available under various licenses, see each image for details.