More than Pool Games & Bingo Onboard Cruise Ships

One reason people select cruises as a vacation option is for the numerous opportunities and activities on board. Yes, most Caribbean cruises still present the traditional belly flop contest, line dances and Bingo games; but onboard activities have come a long way and have grown in sophistication to meet the varying needs as the varying traveler.

The scope of onboard activities on cruise lines certainly has broadened in recent years, according to Terry L. Dale, president and CEO of Cruise Lines International Association (CLIA). “This is in part due to the number of new, large cruise ships entering the market - since 2000 over 100 new ships have been added to the CLIA fleet which now totals more than 160 - which can accommodate facilities that were never possible before,” Dale explains. “These include such things as surfing wave pools, ice skating rinks, bowling alleys and full-scale, Broadway-caliber theaters for lavish revues and other types of entertainment.”

Admittedly, when I started cruising most of my onboard time was spent on the pool deck; but, when I became smarter about protecting my skin from sun damage and when I cruised when I was pregnant and then afterwards with an infant/toddler, my cruising habits had to change. I have attended fascinating lectures about The Bounty, pirate tales, dolphins and ocean life while cruising in Tahiti. I have enjoyed attending fitness and wellness seminars, have taken ballroom dance lessons, attended art auctions, sampled wine during tasting seminars and taken advantage of unique spa treatments.  

“On many ships the focus is on shipboard enrichment programs, often tied to the destinations visited during the cruise. These can include classes in everything from cooking and foreign languages to nature photography and personal financial investing,” Dale adds. “In most cases, the programs are highlighted by onboard experts - in some cases world-renowned experts - who give lectures and hold seminars.”

Believe it or not, while sailing on the Queen Mary 2, the infamous Dr. Ruth was onboard giving lectures. One of my favorite onboard activities I’ve attended in all of my cruises is the Queen Mary’s planetarium…very unique and quite the experience. I am just disappointed that I did not find the time to squeeze in an acting class with The Royal Academy of Dramatic Art.

CLIA’s Dale believes “the cruise industry was the first to respond to, and in many ways, shape current consumer attitudes and expectations about vacationing. Today’s traveler is interesting is doing things, learning new skills and discovering new ideas, places and people.”

A cruise ship in it self is a vacation without any ports of call. I encourage you during your next cruise to carve some time out to attend an enrichment seminar or try something that is not perceived as a traditional cruise vacation activity. But, watching the pool games are still a lot of fun!