A Day in the Life at Sea.

We dig sea days. To us, full days at sea are what make cruising such a unique way to travel. For at least one day, you get to experience the big wide-open heart of the ocean with nothing on the horizon but the sun and stars.

For those who aren’t familiar with the term, sea days are the times on your cruise when you’re sailing between ports. A cruise ship is like a floating resort; everything you could possibly want is available to you. Feel like lounging the day away by the pool, you can do that. How about a few hands of blackjack? You can do that too. Massage? Yoga? Afternoon cocktails? Yep…Yep…and Yep!

We had three sea days on our Carnival cruise last fall. It gave us a lot of time to relax, meet people, and experience all that the ship had to offer. And we thought it would be cool to show you just how much fun a bonafide day at sea can be.

New Morning

We had a room with a balcony, and we did our best to make the most of it. If you can upgrade, I highly recommend it. Walking out into the warm breeze with the sea all around is an awesome feeling; doing it in your robe with a cup of coffee in hand, well, that’s just downright magical.

After some quality balcony time, we hit a yoga class and followed it with a jog around the outdoor track. Then it was time for breakfast. On sea days we had two options for breakfast. The buffet on the Lido Deck is an everyday affair, but brunch in the Scarlet dining room, well my friends, that’s just a little something extra for sea days on the Carnival Dream. I love brunch, and this one did not disappoint. Lots of good options here for vegetarians and meat eaters alike.

Afternoon Delight

By the time noon rolled around, I was feeling pretty good. Exercise, a tasty brunch, and a Bloody Maria have a way of doing that to me. Luckily, there was a place on the ship for people like us: Serenity. Full of plush loungers, hot tubs, and queen-sized hammocks, the adult-only retreat was the perfect place to chill out with a cocktail and book. If it got too hot, then I’d make my way to the Twister Waterslide for a cool-water adrenaline rush. Then it was back to my lounger for some more vitamin D.

At this point our day was wide open. After learning that we could get free champagne at the art auction, we decided to check it out. On the way, we grabbed a plate of Indian food at Tandoori Grill, which was our favorite restaurant on the Lido Deck.

With near-empty champagne flutes in hand, we decided to jet midway through the auction and head back to our room, where we ordered dessert from room service and got ready for the evening.

Bring on the Night

At the art auction, we found out about a Johnnie Walker tasting taking place later that night. With a reservation already on the books for the Steakhouse, we penciled in the Scotch tasting, and then hit the casino. After a round with some new friends, and too many lost quarters on the “waterfall” game, it was time for our tasting. I wasn’t sure what to expect, but I was pleasantly surprised when the hosts continually pulled out the upper echelons of the Johnnie Walker universe for the packed room to sample.

Next, it was time for dinner. Most nights we ate in the main dinning room, but tonight we had a reservation at the Steakhouse. Like the Scotch tasting, I wasn’t really sure what to expect, especially since it cost $35 extra per person. But the Steakhouse delivered. It’s like a boutique version of the main dinning room; everything that made dinners great on the cruise—the service, menu, and ambiance—are taken to the next level at the Steakhouse.

Following dinner we decided to check out the nightlife on board, so we went to the Piano Bar for a drink. It just so happens that the bar is next to the comedy club, nightclub, and karaoke bar. We decided to check them all out. First, we stepped into the karakoe bar, where we watched a few numbers. Following that, we hit the dance club, but it was still early and not very busy yet, so went back to the Piano Bar, where we joined in an enthusiastic round of several classic rock favorites, before checking out the Punchliner Comedy Club on our next stop. After a drink and lots of laughs, we went to the Lido Deck for Dive-In Movies, which features blockbuster films on the large outdoor Jumbotron. With popcorn in hand, we pulled up our lounge chairs and watched Godzilla as the stars worked their magic overhead.

It was a good sea day. And as we made our way to our room, all I could think about was the next port on our trip…

…Jamaica!

What’s your favorite thing to do on sea days? Tell us in the comments below!