If you’ve taken enough cruises, chances are you’re going to experience your fair share of rainy days while at sea. On my last cruise it was cloudy or rainy almost the entire trip, so it inspired me to write this post on some fun things you can still do even if the skies are a little foreboding. Don’t let a little rain ruin your vacation.
These are my top 10 things to do on a rainy day at sea but feel free to add your own to the list in the comment section below.
Spend some time in the spa
No matter how much rain is pouring out of the sky it will always be calming and relaxing in the spa. Besides getting a facial or some other treatments you can always just enjoy watching the storm from the warm tepidarium or sauna if the ship has these features. There is usually an indoor hot tub in the spa as well, and this is a great place to avoid the rain while enjoying some relaxation.
Check out a book from the library
The library on a cruise ship is often overlooked by most passengers. You will not find a vast array of books here, but it’s a nice place to sit and read and get away from the hustle and bustle of the rest of the ship. And besides finding a few good books to read during your cruise you can also check out some games to play with your cruise mate or family.
Hit the arcade
Even if video games aren’t really your thing you should check out the arcade at least once anyway. My wife and I seem to always end up playing air hockey on every cruise we go on, in addition to a competitive game of skee-ball. You might have to endure some adolescent interaction, but a rainy day is a great time to feel like a kid again. Just remember that the cost of those arcade games adds up fast on your cruise account. It catches me by surprise every time.
Order room service and enjoy the storm from your balcony
This is an activity I look forward to the most every time it starts to rain at sea, provided the wind is not blowing the rain onto the balcony of course. With some food delivered by the room service staff you can simply enjoy watching the rain from your balcony. The rain at sea is so different from watching it on land, and it provides quite the relaxing spectacle in my opinion.
Karaoke
Even if you don’t feel like singing your heart out in front of a bunch of strangers you will probably never see again anyway, it’s always fun to listen to the singing talent (or lack thereof) on board. Check the ship’s itinerary but there is almost always karaoke going on, especially on a sea day.
Find a covered place to watch the pool deck TV screen
As soon as it starts raining the lounge chairs on the pool deck usually clear pretty quickly, but you can sometimes find a place that is covered and still has a view of the pool deck TV screen. But even if watching what’s on the screen isn’t your thing it’s a fun place to people watch as well.
Get a galley tour on the cruise ship
Not every cruise line offers a galley tour for free, but often on sea days you can get the tour as an excursion. It’s a fun thing to do if you’ve never seen the inner-workings of the kitchen, and it really is amazing how the well-trained staff serves so much quality food on a daily basis.
Watch a movie in your cabin
In your cabin you will be able to watch a number of newly released movies. The charge for each movie will be applied to your on board account and usually you will have 24 hours to watch the movie. And while some would think it crazy to be in a cruise cabin watching the television on vacation, others will find it the perfect way to relax on a rainy day at sea.
Get a workout at the gym
Now I know a few readers will be very opposed to this idea as well (after all, a cruise is time to do nothing, right?), but the gym is a great place to get out of the rain but still be active. This is for those who can’t stand to sit still. They can still enjoy watching the rain storm while burning a few calories from the chocolate melting cake.
Explore the ship
Cruise ships have so many little hidden gems that most cruisers will overlook simply because they didn’t take the time to read over the daily itinerary or explore the ship. I always enjoy roaming the ship and exploring each floor to find rooms and spaces I didn’t know existed before. Just make sure you don’t go anywhere that’s off limits.
So what would you add to your list? Let us know what you like to do when it rains on a cruise in the comments below.
WOW! Will have to check that out! I’ll be going on my 14th cruise in a couple of months and have never heard about the ship’s coin.
If it is warm out and no lightning, get in and enjoy the empty pool. You are going to be wet anyway, so why not.
Use that time to do laundry so you have clean clothes when you come back from the cruise
Hang out in the pub and play games or cards.
Use the time to enjoy a movie in the ship’s theatre if they have one. Or explore all of the dining and night club venues to help decide which you want to visit later. Treat yourself to a speciality coffee and pastry. Visit CruiseNext to see what kind of deals you can get on your next cruise or on the cruise you are on as sometimes you will get free Onboard Credit on your current cruise by placing a deposit on a future cruise.
Catch up on sleep.
Trivia! Love it if it’s ship long total score or just a single game. Good prizes too. Champagne and gift bags on Princess
I’ll add a few as well:
* Write in a journal–I started keeping one on cruises and found them invaluable when planning a future one. It’s amazing how many details you forget after a while.
* Sort through your photos–If you’ve brought a laptop, you can upload your digital photos and begin the painful process of sorting/deleting/editing them.
* Speaking of photos–Roam around the ship with your camera/smartphone. You can find some fabulous and funky photo ops around the ship you might not otherwise notice. Like taking photos of you and your companions in the elevator mirror
And, finally, sleep late, eat late and just plain relax! – Musing About Cruising
We always take a couple of books, the kind with real paper pages:-) They are convenient to read while travelling and regardless of the weather, a relaxing vacation is a great time to catch up on that book you wanted to read. Reading on a ship is just more fun and relaxing than reading anywhere else. Come to think of it, just about anything you do on a ship is more fun than anywhere else:-)
Every ship has a ship’s coin attached to a wall somewhere on the ship. Divide into teams and go find the coin. Winners get an ice cream cone.
Sister, friends and I like to play Mahjongg if we find nothing that interests us is going on. We have a small travel set that fits in suitcase. Great fun for rany day as we watch storm though port holes. ?