One of the best ways to spend a vacation is basking in the sun by a cruise ship pool with a frozen cocktail in hand. Sometimes, though, Mother Nature has other plans.
While we typically hope for sunny skies and warm breezes during a cruise, perfect weather is no guarantee. That doesn’t mean you can’t still enjoy your time at sea. Cruise ships provide almost limitless ways for passengers to enjoy their time on board — both outdoors and indoors.
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You can find plenty of ways to pass the time indoors, from working out and competing at trivia to perusing the shops and kicking back at a cafe. If you encounter cold and rainy conditions during your next cruise vacation, consider the following activities to fill your day with fun.
Play games
Cards or crossword puzzles are a good distraction from the bad weather outside. Try card games like rummy, blackjack and spades for two or more players. You might also find board games, crossword puzzles or jigsaw puzzles in the ship’s library or lounge area. Cruisers aboard a Virgin Voyages ship can find a variety of board games in the Game Closet, just outside the arcade.
If you’re a bridge enthusiast, you’ll likely find ample opportunities to play bridge with fellow passengers. Some cruise lines, like MSC Cruises, Crystal and Cunard Line, offer lessons and games supervised by accredited bridge instructors.
Forgot to pack your own deck of playing cards? You’ll likely find logo-branded decks of cards in one of the onboard shops, which can double as your cruise vacation souvenir.
Enjoy a leisurely morning with room service
Tuck into a plate of waffles or eggs Benedict and savor a cup of hot coffee while you’re tucked in your cozy cabin bed. You can order via the room service number on your in-cabin phone. Additionally, some cruise line apps include a room-service feature that allows you to order food to be delivered almost anywhere on board.
Room service fees vary from line to line, but you’ll likely enjoy no-fee room service if you sail on an upscale line like Cunard, Oceania Cruises, Regent Seven Seas Cruises and Seabourn Cruise Line. Disney Cruise Line also offers free room service.
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Continental breakfast (think fruit, cereal, danishes, toast, bagels, muffins and yogurt) is often complimentary on some cruise lines like Royal Caribbean, Carnival Cruise Line and Holland America. Other lines, including Norwegian Cruise Line, MSC and Celebrity Cruises, charge a fee for continental breakfast. Check out our line-by-line guide to in-cabin dining for everything you need to know about cruise ship room service.
Make use of your drink package
Create your own onboard bar crawl by visiting a few venues and sampling a new cocktail at each. Your watering hole tour can help familiarize you with the layout of your ship and might even reveal a new favorite hangout for the rest of your cruise.
Additionally, some lines offer wine and liquor-tasting events. Options include chocolate and liquor tastings on Disney ships, wine-tasting events with Royal Caribbean and martini-tasting flights at Carnival’s Alchemy Bar.
Spoil yourself at the spa
Whether you purchase a thermal suite pass for the length of your cruise or book a single treatment from the ship’s spa menu, you’ll probably feel so relaxed you won’t care what the weather is like outside.
A thermal suite is the section of the ship’s spa that includes steam rooms, aromatic showers, thalassotherapy pools, whirlpools and/or heated tile loungers. Some of Norwegian Cruise Line’s vessels feature a salt room in the thermal suite (salt crystals are believed to improve respiratory issues and skin problems). The Enclave thermal suite areas on Princess Cruises‘ Royal Princess and Regal Princess tout a hammam, a Turkish-style bath with a marble bed for mud and salt treatments.
Related: The 7 best cruise ship spas
Karaoke
Belting out your favorite song in a room full of new friends is a great way to pass the time when less-than-ideal weather curtails your outdoor activities. Virgin Voyages sailings level up the karaoke experience with a designated karaoke lounge complete with private pink-and-purple karaoke rooms.
Play trivia
Showcase your knowledge of random facts or wow your shipmates with your level of “Harry Potter” fandom during a trivia game. The number of games throughout the day varies by cruise line, but there is usually at least one on the schedule daily. Many cruise lines offer prizes for trivia winners. I once earned Carnival’s coveted “ship on a stick” thanks to my proficiency in cartoons.
Take a fitness class
What better way to chase away the chill of a rainy day than to work up a sweat? In addition to having a designated fitness center (included in your fare), most cruise lines offer a variety of group fitness classes. You’ll find Pilates, yoga, spin classes, cardio boxing and boot camp-type classes aboard Norwegian, Celebrity, Royal Caribbean, MSC and others.
The for-fee classes are led by certified instructors and are often scheduled throughout the day. Virgin Voyages is the outlier here, as all onboard fitness classes are free, but you will need to reserve a spot as soon as you board. (If you packed your legwarmers and neon headband, don’t miss the ’80s-themed workout.)
Related: Do cruise ships have gyms? Here’s how to stay fit on a cruise
See a movie
While many lines feature large outdoor movie screens often situated by the ship’s main pool area, some lines also have a traditional-style indoor theater.
For example, passengers aboard any Disney ship can enjoy first-run films in the art deco-style Buena Vista Theater. Cunard’s ships — Queen Victoria, Queen Elizabeth and the new Queen Anne — boast the Royal Court Theatre, which hosts film screenings (in addition to live performances and special lectures).
Carnival Vista and Carnival Horizon are home to 187-seat IMAX Theaters, where passengers can immerse themselves in Hollywood blockbusters and compelling documentaries shown on a three-deck-tall screen. Moviegoers in Holland America’s Wajang Theatre (on Volendam and Zaandam) can enjoy free popcorn with the show.
Warm up with a specialty coffee
If you’ve purchased a drink package for your cruise, it likely includes fancy coffees from the ship’s onboard cafe or bistro. Even if you didn’t, prices for specialty coffees on a cruise ship are in line with what you’d expect to pay on land (from around $3 to $5, depending on your coffee size and add-ins like syrup and extra espresso shots). Specialty coffees are included in your fare on luxury lines like Windstar, Viking and Oceania.
Browse the shops
While every cruise line is different, most cruise ships include shops offering duty-free cosmetics, liquor and jewelry, and cruise line-branded souvenir stores. Some vessels feature outposts of brand-name stores like Victoria’s Secret, Coach and Kate Spade. Even if you don’t want to buy, browsing can be a fun way to pass the time.
Attend a talk or lecture
Many cruise lines include some sort of lecture series as part of the itinerary. Experts speak on a variety of topics — from meditation and wellness to stargazing and history. Often, lecture subjects are designed to deepen or enhance your knowledge of the destinations you visit, offering insight into local culture, history or cuisine. Viking offers a robust lecture program, which provides insight into the art, music, geopolitics and nature of each port of call.
Attend an afternoon tea
Afternoon tea is a British tradition that can be enjoyed on many cruise ships. Luxury lines like Crystal, Seabourn and Regent Seven Seas go all-out, with tea services that include freshly made pastries and finger sandwiches served on delicate china. Mainstream ships like Carnival offer a more casual affair in the main dining room. Most basic tea services are complimentary, though you can upgrade your experience with Champagne or other add-ons for a fee.
Take a dance class
Whether you have two left feet or want to level up your already-honed dancing skills, a dance lesson can be an excellent remedy for yucky weather. Cruise ship dance lessons are often free and can be found on various ships.
Cunard is known for its ballroom lessons set in a spacious and opulent ballroom aboard Queen Mary 2 and a smaller but equally spectacular ballroom on Queen Victoria. Cruisers on a Celebrity sailing can learn salsa, rumba or waltz moves from the line’s professional dancers. Crystal typically offers group dance classes for all levels for free, but you can pony up for private lessons at $100 per class.
Enjoy arts and crafts time
Feeling creative? Many vessels host art classes and other crafty activities daily during your sailing.
Oceania’s Artist Loft, on Marina and Riviera, is a designated studio space where an artist-in-residence offers workshops. Passengers on a Cunard sailing can take part in watercolor classes, art seminars and other activities. Classes are free, and art kits are available for purchase.
Additionally, Uniworld has an expert photographer or artist on board many of its river cruise sailings to lead complimentary classes for passengers. Royal Caribbean’s “Arty Party” at Adventure Art, part of the kids’ program, lets younger cruisers create culturally inspired projects that vary by itinerary.
Try an escape room
Some Royal Caribbean and Norwegian ships feature an escape room experience. You must make a reservation, and it’s an added-fee activity ($15 per person on Norwegian sailings and from $8.99 to $19.99 aboard Royal Caribbean ships).
Norwegian cruise ships that offer an escape room are Norwegian Encore, Norwegian Breakaway, Norwegian Getaway and Norwegian Epic. You’ll find escape rooms aboard several Royal Caribbean ships. They include Harmony of the Seas, Symphony of the Seas, Anthem of the Seas, Ovation of the Seas, Oasis of the Seas, Allure of the Seas, Independence of the Seas, Mariner of the Seas and Navigator of the Seas. The newest Royal Caribbean ship, Icon of the Seas, will also feature an escape room experience.
Read a book
I rarely travel without something to read, whether it’s a physical book or one of the many unread e-books waiting for me on my Kindle. So, I’m all in for any excuse to dive into a good read.
I’ll read anywhere, but a quiet nook or designated library space can provide an ideal backdrop to lose yourself in a book for an hour or so. During a November wine cruise aboard AmaWaterways’ AmaPrima, I weathered a few cold and rainy days in the lounge’s library nook, complete with a faux fireplace. I sipped wine and devoured the book I brought with me. It was heaven.
No book? No problem. Some cruise ships tout well-stocked libraries filled with books and magazines for every interest. Cunard bills itself as having the largest book collections at sea. The library shelves aboard Queen Mary 2 hold over 10,000 novels, so I’d say that claim is accurate.
Need book recommendations? Here are 19 books about travel worth considering.
Hit the casino
You’ll find casinos on most mainstream cruise ships, including lines like Holland America, Princess, Royal Caribbean, Carnival, Norwegian (except for Pride of America), MSC, Celebrity and Virgin Voyages.
A hub of excitement, the lively space will be chock-full of slot machines (sometimes hundreds of them) and gaming tables. Try your luck at blackjack, roulette, poker and other games. Tournaments and beginner lessons are often held on sea days.
Check out the arcade
I may be old school, but I could spend hours (and thousands of quarters) playing Galaga. Lucky for me (but maybe not my wallet), many mainstream ships feature extra-cost arcades. Often they’re situated near high-trafficked areas like bars or casual dining venues. Just swipe your keycard, and it will charge the cost to play the game straight to your onboard account.
Several Royal Caribbean ships have Playmakers, the line’s combination sports bar and arcade. It’s situated along the Boardwalk on the line’s Oasis Class vessels, but often in a tucked-away location on other ships.
Enjoy live music
Whether it’s an acoustic guitarist near Latitudes Bar on Carnival Celebration or grand piano melodies in the Centrum of Royal Caribbean’s Vision and Radiance Class ships, live music can elevate the ambience during a cold, rainy day.
Check your ship’s activities newsletter or mobile app for live entertainment that’s scheduled for the day.
Sign up for a cooking or mixology class
Depending on what cruise line you’re sailing with, you might be able to sign up for a culinary class, chef demonstration or cocktail-making class.
Some Disney ships offer “Be Our Chef” cooking classes in the Palo kitchen, led by Palo chefs. On some Holland America and Regent Seven Seas cruises, you can learn French cooking techniques or acquire other culinary skills under the guidance of master chefs. Royal Caribbean cruisers can take a sushi-making class.
Mixology classes are also often available on Disney, Carnival, Cunard and other lines.
Relax by the ship’s all-weather pool
Some cruise ships boast a covered pool area, ideal for a rainy-day swim.
On many Royal Caribbean ships, you’ll find the Solarium, an indoor and outdoor retreat sheltered by a glass roof. The adults-only area features a pool, hot tubs and a relaxing bar and lounge area. Also named Solarium, the 18-plus area on board Celebrity’s Solstice Class ships features heated hot tubs, comfy loungers and a lap pool. Cunard’s Pavilion Pool on Queen Mary 2 is a golden-age-of-travel sanctuary.
The Pavilion aboard Cunard’s newest ship, Queen Anne (due to launch in May 2024), will also sport a retractable glass roof. The area will be home to a pool, three whirlpools, lounge chairs, a bar, a grill for food by the pool, a gelateria and a stage for entertainment.
Take an afternoon nap
Sometimes the best thing to do on a cold, rainy cruise day is absolutely nothing at all. Just hang that “do not disturb” sign on your cabin door, grab your sleeping mask and enjoy a little shut-eye. After all, what’s a vacation without a lot of R&R?
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