Topic: Ports more important than sea days

According to research performed by Thomson Cruises and Island Cruises, port visits are more important than days at sea.

As a result, both cruiselines have decided to devote more fly-cruise itineraries for 2010. Thomson will also offer weddings at sea in the Caribbean for winter 2010/11.

Thomson Cruises is now the second largest British cruise line and operates five ships to 130 ports of call for more than 200,000 passengers per year. It will launch a new ship Thomson Dream (previously Costa Europa) in 2010.

I fully agree. That is the whole reason for us cruising with Thomson /Island, to see lots of places in one holiday. Unlike those who want to cruise just to cruise.

Our last cruise was a 12 night with RCI in June (Aegean and Eastern Med.) and we had 4 days at sea, to me a real waste.

Surely days at sea is part of the whole cruise experience with so much to do on board in luxurious state of the art surroundings? It's great to visit many different places in a relatively short time, but how on earth does Thomas expect the ship to deliver its guests to those places?

The Ship is quite an important 'destination' for me.

Most people don't realize that -in any 24 hr. period-
even if one does go ashore for 8 hrs.
one still spends two-thirds of the day on board your ship of choice
so you may as well choose a nice one!
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Surely days at sea is part of the whole cruise experience with so much to do on board in luxurious state of the art surroundings? It's great to visit many different places in a relatively short time, but how on earth does Thomas expect the ship to deliver its guests to those places?

I realise they need to shift us from place to place but 1 full day at sea is enough for me in a 7 day cruise.
We wouldn't have booked that one if our original cruise hadn't been cancelled in the TUI takeover of Island Cruises and that was the nearest similar itinerary we could get.

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I realise they need to shift us from place to place
but 1 full day at sea is enough for me in a 7 day cruise.

Yes, I agree and Ocean Village cruises does this nicely
- on the first full day of any of their weekly cruises
(I think I'm right in saying that?)
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Island Star at Barbados -



Early morning -4th. December 2008- her first visit to the island
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According to research performed by Thomson Cruises and Island Cruises, port visits are more important than days at sea.

But not for me - I like a balance. I like the anticipation and to experience a sense of distance - I like to appreciate just how big the world is.

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But not for me - I like a balance. I like the anticipation and to experience a sense of distance - I like to appreciate just how big the world is.

Seeing how cruising isn't cheap, I think that you need to enjoy the ship in all its glory, Maybe as well for myself as I can't walk far, every day in port although good is also very tiring, so its really good to have Sea days, take in the relaxation

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...it's really good to have Sea days, take in the relaxation

Absolutely! I love spending days with a good audio book on my mp3 player and watching the ocean go by.