Cruising - Sea Days

Revised on 01/30/26

Sea days are when the ship is most alive.

One of the things I like about Sea Days on a ship is that all the services, entertainment venues, stores, and restaurants are open for business.  For those interested in things like onboard gambling, a sea day is the perfect time to enjoy oneself. For people like me, I like knowing that all the ship's restaurants are open for business, and that I will not need to go to the buffet for lunch.

Reading the daily Program.

(MSC Seaside Daily Program - Courtesy of Cruise Critic)

One of the best ways to find out what activities are available while at sea is the daily bulletin which is usually placed by the door or in one’s room the night before. In it, one usually finds the ship’s activity schedule for the day.  (Sadly, some cruise lines are phasing out paper copies for digital versions that are accessible only via one's mobile device.)

The daily program will list the open times for each onboard restaurant, the entertainment available during the day, and other events scheduled that day. Some of the events that took place on my Hawaiian cruise included: “Canvas by U!”, “Basketball Shoot-Out”, and “Psychedelic Bingo”. I advise bringing along a highlight marker, so that one can mark the activities one wants to attend to help make the most out of a sea day.

Spending the day.

Each Cruise line has its own unique activities which its cruisers can enjoy.  The following is a list of typical daily activities available to the average cruiser on Sea Days,

One doesn't have to spend money to enjoy a day at sea.  One can spend the day lounging at the pool, read a book in the ship's library on many ships, or enjoy the other free entertainment available on the ship.  The following list (from Google) should give the reader an idea of what one can do on the ship on sea days.

Typical Daily Activities by Category:

Morning/Active:
- Morning stretch, walking group, yoga, jogging track, pickleball, basketball,
  gym.

Daytime/Interactive:
- Trivia (music, movies, general knowledge), dance classes, bingo, cooking
  demos, towel folding, card games, arts & crafts.

Pool/Outdoor:
= Live music, pool games, water slide, hot tubs, outdoor movies,sunbathing.

Evening/Entertainment:
- Production shows, live bands, comedy club, piano bar, karaoke, nightclub,
  casino tournaments.

Specialty/Unique:
- Wine tasting, martini tasting, sushi making, spa seminars, scavenger hunts. 

In addition, on many newer ships, both amusement park and resort amenities are available to cruisers. Amusements such as go-cart race tracks, roller coasters, and flow riders may be found on these ships, along with the traditional spas and casinos. The stores will be open and one can buy jewelry, liquor, cigarettes, clothing, and other  sundries when the ship is at sea.  

Gala / Dress to Impress / Formal nights.

(Cunard's Gala Night Dress Code - Courtesy Cunard)

Some evenings at sea are gala nights (or formal nights), where people are encouraged to (or expected to on some lines) dress to impress. On these nights,  one will find the ship’s photographers available to photograph cruisers wearing their finest outfits.  Not all Cruise lines are as formal as Cunard.  NCL tends to be the most informal of the mainstream Cruise lines, with its "Freestyle" cruising philosophy.