How I Avoid the Crowds on Sea Days (My Quiet Cruise Routine)

I love big cruise ships… but I absolutely hate crowds. Sounds like a contradiction, right?

After 50+ cruises, I’ve learned something most passengers don’t realise: cruise ships aren’t actually crowded all day long. They only feel crowded because almost everyone follows the same routine at the same time.

Once you know when each area is at its busiest, you can flip the day on its head, and suddenly the ship feels calm, spacious and oddly luxurious. I do this on every sea day, and it completely changes the experience.

It looks like a packed, chaotic ship on paper… but there’s a quiet side to sea days that hardly anyone ever sees. And it all comes down to timing.

If you want to experience a sea day without the queues, noise and shoulder-to-shoulder sunbeds, here’s the exact itinerary I use to stay one step ahead of the crowds.

7 am – Breakfast

On a sea day, most people will take the opportunity to have a lie-in and will head to the buffet 30 mins before it closes. On big ships that enforce handwashing, you’ll have to queue to get inside and then do several laps before you spot a free table.

But if you’re willing to get up early and arrive at the buffet when it opens, you can have your pick of virtually any table, and the hottest, freshest food too!

8 am – Swim in the Pool

While you may see a few people putting towels down, the pool area is virtually empty before 9 am.

So if you want to swim some lengths, have a hot tub to yourself or even go down the water slides without queuing at the top, now is the perfect time.

Whatever you do, don’t go to the gym. It will be rammed at this time. We’ll save that for later.

10 am – Enjoy the Entertainment

Cruise ships have all kinds of entertainment inside, such as dance classes, trivia, lectures, cookery classes and art workshops. When I cruised with Fred. Olsen, I played bridge every day at 10 am, and it was so relaxing!

So take a look at the daily planner that the cruise line gives you and decide which one you fancy.

11 am – Visit the Casino

On cruise ships, Maritime law states that the casinos are only allowed to open when the ship is in international waters. That means that a sea day is a great time to go.

On some ships, the slots are open the whole time the ship is at sea. Table games might not open until later, so check your ship’s schedule for the exact times.

But if you want your pick of any machine, the morning is a great time to go.

12 pm – Lunch in the Main Dining Room

You ate breakfast early, so by 12 pm you’ll probably be ready for lunch. Meanwhile, everyone who had breakfast at 10 is nowhere near hungry.

For some reason, a lot of people forget that the main dining room exists at lunchtime. Instead, they crowd into the buffet or grab a burger or a slice of pizza to eat by the pool.

If you’re one of the first people to arrive at the main dining room for lunch, it will be very quiet, meaning you get quick service and a relaxed atmosphere.

1 pm – Go to the Pub

Many people don’t visit the indoor bars on a cruise ship until the evening. So now’s the time to enjoy a quiet pint.

If you fancy a go on the pool table or the dart board, now’s the time when it’s most likely to be available.

2 pm – Watch a Movie

Many cruise ships have onboard cinemas which can be hard to get into after dinner.

However, if you head to a matinee showing, you should have no problem getting a seat.

If your ship doesn’t have a cinema, you may be able to enjoy a movie on the TV in your stateroom. Failing that, grab a book from the library and enjoy some chill time.

4 pm – Enjoy a Poolside Snack

I love the food by the pool on cruise ships. While the poolside snack bars can get very busy at lunchtime, if you arrive at 4 pm, you can treat yourself to a salad, tacos, pizza, hot dog or fries without having to queue.

Most people don’t want to eat at this time as it’s too close to dinner. But don’t worry, dinner is still way off for us.

5 pm – The Most Fun Activities

Cruise ships generally have two dining times, early and late. Families usually choose the early one, so by 5 pm, they’re all getting ready for dinner.

This is the perfect time to have a go at all the activities that have been busy with the kids. Depending on your ship and its schedule, you might be able to have a go on the mini golf, the rock climbing wall, the sports court or the bowling alley without it being crowded with children.

6 pm – Relax in the Spa

There’s nothing more frustrating than paying for a pass to the thermal suite and then not being able to use it because the steam room, sauna and hot tub are all full.

Instead, I like to head there at about 6 pm when it’s much quieter, and you have a much better chance of finding a vacant heated bed to relax on.

7 pm – Hit the Gym

Most cruise ship gyms are open for guests from 6 am until 10 pm. In reality, very few people visit the gym in the evening.

You may find that from 10 pm until 6 am, the gym is reserved for crew members. However, on the biggest and newest ships, crew members have their own gym, so the gym may be open 24 hours.

8pm – Get Ready for Dinner

This is one of the busiest times on the ship. Everybody is out and about. The bars will all be full with people having either an after-dinner drink or a pre-dinner drink, depending on their dining time.

But don’t worry, we’ll be heading back to the room to get changed for dinner.

If you have a balcony, now’s the time to enjoy a quiet glass of wine on it. If you’re lucky, you’ll watch the sunset without anyone spoiling your view.

9 pm – Dinner

If you’re cruising with kids, then dining at 9 pm won’t work for you. But if you’re child-free, then later is better if you want to avoid the rush.

If your ship has flexible dining times, you should have no problem arriving at 9 pm for dinner. I find that this is the quietest time.

If there are fixed times, then choose the later one, which may be 8.30. You can arrive up to 15 minutes late without a problem, but I wouldn’t leave it any later than that.

Or, for an even more relaxed experience, I recommend that you opt for either the buffet or a speciality restaurant. These are always the quietest places to eat in the evening.

10 pm – Watch a Show

You’ll need to check your daily planner for the showtimes for your ship. But I usually find the later shows to be quieter, particularly if the show starts at 10 pm or later and the ship has a lot of children.

11 pm – Go for a Walk

I love the outside areas of a cruise ship at night. The pools always look so pretty when they’re lit up. And if you’re lucky, they might still be open so you can enjoy a late-night dip.

If your ship has a promenade deck, it will be empty at this time, so you can enjoy a peaceful evening stroll.

In warm weather, the outdoor bars will be open until late, so why not head out and enjoy a nightcap under the stars before bed?

Final Word

Complaints about ships feeling “too busy” are common on large cruise ships, but they’re often avoidable.

Many cruise ships have several hidden spots that are super quiet because most guests don’t know they even exist!

Choosing a smaller ship will also help. I’ve cruised on ships with just 100 guests, and they have bars and restaurants that can seat every single guest at the same time, so you never have to worry about getting a seat. Plus, with just three or four decks, there’s never a queue for the elevator as most people never use it!

I would also recommend avoiding cruises in the school holidays if you can. That’s because each ship squeezes in a lot more people when children are involved.

Let’s take Icon of the Seas, for example. Royal Caribbean’s ship accommodates 5,610 guests, based on two people in each cabin…

But when every cabin is at maximum capacity, and additional beds are used for kids, the ship accommodates 7,600.

That’s an extra 2,000 people!

That’s why timing matters more than ship size. Even on the biggest ships in the world, you can still carve out calm, quiet moments if you know when to zig while everyone else zags.

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• The 12 Biggest Sea Day Mistakes (And How To Avoid Them)
• 15 Hidden Cruise Ship Spots Most Guests Never Find