What is the average time for a cruise?

How long is a cruise on average?

Ugh, cruises. Last summer, me and my fam took one to the Bahamas. Thought it’d be, like, a relaxing escape. Haha.

It felt way longer than 7 days. Seven days! I swear, it was more like 10! We sailed from Miami.

I felt seasick the entire time. The buffet, though? Legendary. Ate approximately 400 pounds of crab legs.

My little brother threw up on the shuffleboard court. Good times, good times. It was seriously the trip from hell.

So, yeah, a week feels about right for torture… I mean, a cruise.

• Where: Miami to Bahamas
• When: Summer 2024 (ugh)
• Who: Me, family (regretfully)
• What: Seasickness, crab legs, shuffleboard incident.

How long should I cruise for?

Okay, so, how long should you cruise for? Hmm. Well, lemme tell ya ’bout our disaster… I mean, adventure.

Last July, yeah, July 2024, we booked a seven-day Caribbean cruise, outta Miami. Thought, “Perfect, whole family, everyone’s happy.” Wrong.

My teenage daughter? Sea sick the entire time. Legit, green face, couldn’t even look at the buffet. My husband? Thought he was Captain Jack Sparrow, hittin’ the rum punch way too hard at the pool bar. I mean, way too hard. It was…a lot.

Five days? Maybe. Ten days? No FREAKING way, not with my crew. A long weekend cruise sounds more my speed, actually.

Here’s the breakdown of what I learned, the HARD way:

• Kids? Shorter is better. Unless they’re nautical geniuses, sea legs take time. Mine didn’t get them.
• Booze cruises? Also shorter. Unless you wanna babysit a pirate. Or be one, I guess.
• Location matters. Caribbean? Hot, humid, and apparently, vomit-inducing. Alaska? Maybe the cold air will help.
• Check the itinerary! Ours was port-heavy. Too much getting on and off the ship. Exhausting.
• Pool deck drama is REAL. People staking out chairs at 6 a.m.? Savage. Avoid.
• Budget, budget, budget. Those “free” cruises rack up expenses. Trust me.
• Talk to people. Get recs from other cruisers. I wish I had.
• Consider your group! Singles? Couples? Families? Changes things. A lot.
• Don’t over pack. You can always buy more vacation crap on the ship.

Yeah, seven days felt like SEVEN YEARS. I mean, I love my family, but… next time, solo trip, three days, book it! And maybe, just maybe, I will check out the Transatlantic cruises.

How long can you take a cruise?

Cruise lengths: variable.

• Weekend: 2-3 nights. A quick escape.
• Typical: 7-14 nights. Sea and shore.
• World: 270+ nights. An odyssey. A commitment.

Info:

• Cost: Varies wildly. Shorter = cheaper usually. Longer? Substantial.
• Destination: Drives duration. Caribbean? Shorter. Antarctica? Expect weeks.
• Purpose: Relaxation dictates length. Exploration demands time.
• My trip: I did a 10-night one, felt like a week. Never long enough.
• Note: Ports differ. Some a day, others just a glance. Research them!
• Company: Different lines offer different itineraries. Always check.
• I said: Never long enough!

Is a 5 day cruise really 5 days?

Five-day cruises? More like four-night shenanigans! It’s a total rip-off, like buying a bag of chips that’s mostly air. Seriously, those sneaky cruise lines.

The truth hurts: You’re paying for a cruise, not a vacation extended stay at a luxury resort. Think of it as a fancy, floating hostel. You spend those extra hours on a bus to and from the port, you know, total vacation time.

My Uncle Barry booked a “7-day” Caribbean adventure. It was 6 nights of questionable buffet food and surprisingly sturdy seasickness bags. He felt robbed. Like a kid whose candy was stolen by a particularly devious squirrel.

Here’s the lowdown on cruise math:

• Embarkation day: You’re basically unpacking and fighting for a decent spot by the pool.
• Disembarkation day: You’re packing, waiting in lines that rival the DMV, then fleeing like a gazelle escaping a lion.
• Actual cruise time: What’s left!

Pro-tip: Always check the nights not the days. It’s like counting sheep, but instead of sheep, it’s cruise lines trying to trick you. It’s a wild west out there! This is why I stick to my backyard hammock. Way less paperwork.

Things that are also a little bit like five-day cruises:

• A really, really long meeting.
• That time I tried to learn the ukulele.
• My attempt at making sourdough bread. It exploded.

How long is the average around the world cruise?

How many days can you go on a cruise?

Ugh, cruises. Seven days is standard, right? My aunt went on a 30-day one last year, Alaska, I think. Crazy long. Ten days feels excessive, honestly. Too much time on a boat. Three days? That’s barely enough time to unpack!

I prefer a week. Perfect balance. Enough to see some stuff but not get totally cabin-fever-y. What’s the deal with those ridiculously long ones? Are they for retirees? Definitely not for me. My friend Sarah did a two-week Mediterranean thing in 2022. Said it was amazing, but, exhausting.

Short cruises, like 3-4 days, seem geared towards people who just want a quick getaway. Caribbean? Bahamas? You know, the usual suspects. Longer ones? Maybe a transatlantic crossing? Sounds intense. I’m sticking to my week-long cruises. Less chance of things going horribly wrong.

• 7-day cruises are the sweet spot.
• 30-day cruises exist, but seem insane.
• 3-4 day cruises are for quick getaways.
• Longer cruises (10+ days) are more intense.
• I need my wifi, and a week is enough time for a decent amount of internet use.

Honestly, I hate boats. The whole thing is a gamble. Will I get seasick? Will my cabin be tiny? Will the food be edible? So many questions! But, free booze and beaches… yeah, gotta weigh the pros and cons, LOL. This is a seriously important decision. Next cruise, maybe a balcony!