Why a 3- Or 4-Day Cruise Is Wrong for Your First Cruise Vacation

Cruising remains one of the fastest growing segments of the travel industry. There are many considerations to make when selecting your first cruise such as the number of nights, which cruise line, which ship within the cruise line, which itinerary and your budget to name a few. Having been on over thirty cruises myself, the biggest mistake I see from a first-time cruiser is choosing a short sailing.

A common misconception is that a three- or four-day cruise is best for your first cruise. A short cruise, generally defined as one to four nights, may give you peace of mind when answering the question, “what if I don’t like it once I get onboard,” but they often do not give guests the full cruise experience, especially during their first sailing.

The reasons why a three- or four-day cruise may be wrong for your first cruise are simple. It can take several days to adjust to the cruise-style of vacation. While there are similarities to other types of vacations, a cruise vacation is a bit different and can take some time to settle into.

Think of a cruise as a giant floating resort with common amenities like spas, pools, hot tubs, water slides, production shows, comedy, trivia, karaoke, musicians, kids’ clubs, casino and the list goes on. A three- or four-day cruise may leave you feeling unsettled and potentially exhausted trying to fit it all in whereas a longer cruise gives you more time to adjust to cruise ship “life.”

Everything from learning how to navigate the ship, finding your favorite cocktail bar, musician or restaurant can take some time, and shorter cruises give you less opportunity to explore your floating resort and discover the amenities and activities that will leave you inspired and excited.

Short cruises also have more limited itineraries that often visit some of the most visited and busiest cruise ports in the world. Rubbing elbows with 25,000+ passengers spread across various ships in Nassau, Bahamas, can negatively affect your opinion of cruising if it’s your first and only cruise experience.

In contrast, longer cruises can help you visit more far-flung destinations and often offer a better mix of “sea days” and “ports of call.” Sea days are those days spent sailing between ports of call where guests remain on the ship for the entire day. Sea days are best for ship exploration, utilizing all those fabulous ship amenities and relaxing. Many three- or four-day cruises only offer one, if any, sea days, thus leaving you feeling rushed to fully appreciate all the ship has to offer.

Another less commonly understood reason for booking a longer cruise versus a shorter one is a lower cost per day. Shorter cruises generally have a lower overall cost but the cost per day is often higher, so depending on if you are more of a budget-conscious or an overall value vacation planner, a longer cruise will likely offer a better value.

My recommendations for a first-time cruiser are trips in the five-to-eight-night range. This length of cruise offers a more balanced introduction to cruising, addressing many of the concerns detailed above. Experienced cruisers will also recommend a mix of port and sea days. Visiting more than three ports in a row can becoming tiring, especially when learning the ropes of ship life.

Cruising is so popular many ships offer a future cruise desk right onboard where you can book your next cruise while still on your current sailing, often with discounts. There is a reason ships dedicate limited shipboard space to this, once guests experience cruising and understand the value of what’s offered, it’s hard not to want to come back and do it all over again!

There is literally something for everyone if you do your research and pick the right cruise line and budget for your vacation. Work with a travel agent and do your research to know what’s included and to understand what additional charges beyond the base cruise fare may apply, then align your budget and expectations accordingly. Whether you are a doer, a watcher or a relaxer, the choice is yours and a cruise vacation will likely meet and exceed your wants and needs. Come see what all the hype is about and book that first cruise.