How many days should you spend on a cruise?

How many days is ideal for a cruise vacation? Cruise length?

Ugh, figuring out the perfect cruise length is tricky. My family's 7-day Caribbean cruise in June 2022 (cost: ~$4000 total) was great, kids loved it. Short enough to avoid cabin fever, long enough for some serious fun.

But my friend, bless her heart, did a 14-day Mediterranean cruise last year – she said it was amazing, but exhausting. Too much, even for her! She also had some issues with seasickness during a storm. That's another factor to consider.

Five days feels a bit rushed, honestly. You spend half the time packing and unpacking! Ten days or more though? Sounds perfect for relaxing. Maybe even a transatlantic one? Something more laid-back...

So, it depends. Family with young kids? Seven days is sweet spot. More time? Go big, or go home. Long cruises are seriously luxurious though.