If you have ever looked at your itinerary and wondered what on earth you are supposed to do with a full day at sea, you are not alone. On my recent Holland America sailing along the Baja Peninsula, I had three of them and fully expected to be pacing the deck by noon. Instead, they became some of my favorite parts of the trip. A sea day is the rare moment in travel when you are given nothing but time, and the real luxury is deciding how to use it.
Here are ten easy, genuinely enjoyable ways to make a sea day feel like the best day of your cruise.
1. Ease Into the Day With a Long Breakfast
There is something satisfying about wandering into a dining room when you have nowhere else to be. Whether you prefer a simple chia pudding with fruit (like me!) or a full made-to-order spread, a slow breakfast sets the pace for the kind of day when you can linger without guilt.
2. Take a Class You Would Never Sign Up For at Home
On my cruise, I ended up in an art studio taking a calligraphy class, which is not a sentence I ever thought I would write. But that is the beauty of sea days. Cruises often offer everything from watercolor and crafting workshops to cooking demos and dance lessons. Pick the thing that makes you curious and just try it.
3. Claim a Pool Chair and Stay Longer Than You Planned
The pool is the unofficial heart of a sea day. You can swim, read, nap or simply rotate between sun and shade until you lose track of time. The best part is that no one expects anything from you.
4. Dive Into a Book
If you forgot to pack one, most ships have a library or at least a free book exchange. Holland America’s Nieuw Amsterdam had the cutest little library stocked with great books.
5. Join an Activity Just for the Fun of It
Cruise ships are surprisingly good at inventing reasons for strangers to laugh together. On my sailing, I joined a paper airplane contest and a shuffleboard competition. I also won one of them, a detail I share often and with great pride. Look for trivia games, scavenger hunts, daily competitions or themed gatherings.
6. Work on a Puzzle
Most ships set out communal puzzles in lounges or libraries, and there is a calming pleasure in adding a few pieces every time you pass by. My husband and I stayed up way too late a couple of nights trying to complete one!
7. Treat Yourself to a Specialty Meal
Sea days are perfect for splurging on that restaurant you have been eyeing. Whether it is a steakhouse, a sushi bar or a tasting menu, it breaks up the day and feels like its own little event.
8. Catch a Show
Evenings on ships often include live music, comedy acts, illusionists or large-scale productions. I made it a point to end each night with a performance, and it added a nice sense of ceremony to the day.
9. Try Your Luck
Even if you are not a casino person, a few rounds at the tables or slot machines can be surprisingly fun. Set a small budget, treat it like entertainment, and enjoy the thrill of possibility.
10. Do Absolutely Nothing
One of the best parts of a sea day is the permission to simply be still. Sit on your balcony, listen to the waves, take an extra-long nap. Sometimes the quiet moments end up becoming the ones you remember later.
A sea day can be as busy or as slow as you want it to be. After a few of them on the Holland America cruise, I realized they are less about filling time and more about enjoying time, which is a rare thing in everyday life.