One of many first decisions you may must make when reserving a cruise is the size of your crusing.
Royal Caribbean cruises vary from three days to over three weeks, leaving many questioning what the best cruise size is.
I sailed on Freedom of the Seas two occasions, a 12 months aside, however every crusing was for a unique size.
My first cruise, in October of 2023, was a weekend crusing, lasting solely three days.
My second, in October 2024, was a full seven-day crusing.
Though they had been on the identical ship only a 12 months aside, the 2 sailings had been fully totally different experiences.
I used to be stunned by how a lot the size of your cruise can change the complete cruise trip.
Learn extra: How totally different is a 3-night vs 4-night cruise?
From journey buddies to staterooms, this is how the size of my cruise affected my experiences on the identical ship.
I get homesick on longer cruises, however they are much extra memorable
After I first began taking week-long cruises, I’d really feel barely claustrophobic by days 5 and 6.
Regardless of the abundance of actions onboard, I are likely to really feel homesick throughout seven-day cruises.
Nonetheless, evaluating my weekend and weeklong cruises on Freedom of the Seas helped me see the attraction of an extended crusing.
My weekend cruise glided by in a flash: three days onboard, together with one cease on Excellent Day at CocoCay, is barely sufficient time to see all the things.
As soon as the weekend cruise ended, the actions, leisure, and meals onboard felt like a blur. My weekend cruise on Freedom of the Seas was in all probability my least memorable crusing, just because it glided by so quick.
In distinction, my 7-day crusing on Freedom gave me time to stretch out and take my time to see all of the sights onboard. I used to be in a position to attend a number of exhibits and actions, even seeing some issues twice!
Plus, the crusing had visits to extra ports, calling upon Excellent Day at CocoCay, St Thomas, and San Juan, Puerto Rico.
Weekend cruises provide loads of leisure, however the shorter period means you need to pack your schedule to expertise all of it. They seem to be a much less memorable sampling of a cruise ship.
My weekend cruise ready me to strive an extended one on Freedom of the Seas, but when I had to decide on only one expertise, I’d decide the 7-day crusing.
My week cruise was solo, whereas I used to be capable of finding a journey buddy for the weekend
One drawback of taking an extended, 7-day cruise, is setting apart the time to go on a weeklong trip. Taking break day from work or faculty for a weeklong cruise could be difficult, particularly mid-year in October.
It was simple for me to take alongside a journey buddy on my weekend cruise—she did not even must request break day from work.
Learn extra: I cruised on my own on two totally different Royal Caribbean ships, however there have been stark variations within the experiences
Nonetheless, none of my pals had been in a position to get break day to hitch me on my later 7-day crusing, so I needed to take the longer cruise solo.
Whereas there’s nothing mistaken with cruising alone, having a journey buddy could make a journey expertise extra wealthy and gratifying.
Plus, if I would wished to cruise with a number of pals or my household, it could have been much more troublesome to coordinate a weeklong crusing collectively.
I had time to type friendships on my 7-day cruise
Whereas I did not deliver anybody alongside on my 7-day cruise, the longer crusing gave me time to type friendships with different cruisers onboard.
I observed—and was a bit dissatisfied—that the majority cruisers on my weekend crusing saved to themselves.
Learn extra: I am a brand new cruiser and tried a weekend cruise on one of many largest cruise ships. It was full of heaps in a brief period of time
They appeared centered on having fun with their time onboard with their journey teams, reasonably than making dialog with different cruisers.
On my weeklong cruise, nevertheless, I had loads of time to hitch Hyperlink occasions for younger adults, spend nights chatting within the sizzling tubs, and go on a number of shore excursions.
I ended up assembly many extra cruisers and crew members on my longer crusing, making the expertise an gratifying, social trip.
Additional-cost packages are costlier on an extended crusing
A shorter weekend cruise is usually an ideal alternative to splurge on extra-cost objects. If you happen to’ve been eyeing drink packages, shore excursions, or specialty eating, a brief crusing presents a trip with a looser funds.
Every day-priced packages like drink packages and WiFi are extra reasonably priced general throughout shorter cruises because you’re onboard for fewer days.
And shore excursions are value shopping for if you go to fewer ports.
On my 3-day crusing on Freedom of the Seas, I splurged and bought a dinner at Chops Grille. For the reason that crusing was solely three days, it was value it for me to strive a specialty restaurant whereas onboard.
I additionally spent extra on extras like drinks and Web.
For instance, WiFi runs from $25-30 a day. On my weekend cruise, I paid simply $75 for Web, whereas WiFi for my 7-day crusing would have value over $175.
I opted to not buy Web for the size of my week-long voyager. This saved me cash in the long term however saved me extra disconnected on the longer cruise.
Learn extra: Freedom of the Seas vs. Newer Ships: Does It Nonetheless Maintain Up?
Since I wanted to rigorously funds on my weeklong crusing, I spent extra time on the ship however had a much less lavish expertise.
I attempted two totally different staterooms: a balcony and an oceanview
Just like spending cash on extra-cost packages, I used to be in a position to splurge on the stateroom class for my shorter crusing.
I booked a assure balcony cabin, receiving a spacious stateroom with a non-public balcony. The cabin featured a spacious sofa, a king-sized mattress, and a big balcony furnished with patio seating. It was an expensive keep for the weekend; the right spot to chill out or watch the ocean wave by.
In distinction, I booked a assure oceanview cabin on my longer cruise. The stateroom got here with a smaller sofa, and a King mattress positioned below the porthole window.
Learn extra: 10 issues it is best to know earlier than cruising onboard Freedom of the Seas
Whereas I could not really feel the solar and breeze like on a balcony cabin, I nonetheless loved getting the identical ocean views.
Nonetheless, my oceanview cabin additionally got here with lots of loud noises, because it was positioned low on Deck 2.
Ultimately, each cabins had been gratifying locations to remain, with related facilities and loos. Selecting the best stateroom all depends upon your preferences, funds, and the size of your crusing.
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