Mike_ Posted October 3, 2015 Report Share Posted October 3, 2015 I was wondering if everyone goes through these ups and downs during a cruise. For example: Day one, I am tired from the travel and relieved that I made it to the boat. Day five or six, I feel so stuffed that I can't wait until I am off it. Day seven, at night, I keep drinking and wondering the ship remorseful that I have to leave her the next day. I was on a cruise out of Tampa last year on Vision of the Seas, and that ship partied from the life boat drill until we docked. That was an excellent cruise, no downs, only ups! Mike_ Matt and DocLC 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jerel Posted October 4, 2015 Report Share Posted October 4, 2015 I'm super excited to get on the ship, but by the end of the sailing I really want to go home. Works out that way with every vacation, not sure why. Probably the liquor (only drink on vacation), and missing my dog. There's a line of a song I always end up singing, 'this so called vacation will soon be my death, I'm so sick from the drink I need home for a rest'. Seems to sum up my experience nicely. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DocLC Posted October 4, 2015 Report Share Posted October 4, 2015 I've experienced something similar on some cruises. On the Jewel, we cancelled Portofino on the last night as I couldn't eat any more. I was better on the Brilliance (12 nights), but ended eating turkey on the last night as I had too much the rest of the cruise as the food was so good. Also, because it was a longer cruise with long travel home, the last two days seemed really long as we no longer had exciting ports to look forward to. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mike_ Posted October 4, 2015 Author Report Share Posted October 4, 2015 lol. I have started some strategies for eating less. First, I try to do sit-down breakfast if possible. e.g. MDR. Second, I try to eat only three meals a day, spaced 5 hours apart. Third, if I order two entres, because I can't decide, I only eat half of each. I know the above sounds crazy, but using it I have avoided that bloated feeling by day 5 when my pants stop fitting well. I wish I could eat Euorpean style. e.g. Coffee, scone. But I hate to miss a full meal :) Mike_ Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DocLC Posted October 4, 2015 Report Share Posted October 4, 2015 We purposely ate lunch in the MDR because of this, too. We also hit the gym for almost 2 hours in the afternoon on sea days and hiked while in port. It helped some. My wife and I also share entrees, which allows us to sample without having to order two each. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Matt Posted October 4, 2015 Report Share Posted October 4, 2015 The food fatigue is something I think a lot experience. Key is to skip snacks between meals. But often I fall prey to the "one large meal a day" and then I don't want to eat anything else. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
WhiteSoxFan Posted October 4, 2015 Report Share Posted October 4, 2015 We always travel a day early so that eliminates some of the travel fatigue. Food fatigue is something I have never experienced. Maybe we just do a good job of not overeating. I like the portions in the MDR. I like that I can order a appetizer, a salad, an entree and dessert and not feel crazy full when I leave. Plus I have never felt ready to go home at the end of any cruise, Once I get off the ship, I can't wait to get home, but that doesn't mean I was ready to do so. Michel 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Matt Posted October 4, 2015 Report Share Posted October 4, 2015 Plus I have never felt ready to go home at the end of any cruise, Once I get off the ship, I can't wait to get home, but that doesn't mean I was ready to do so. I usually miss small things about home, namely normal internet speeds but on Quantum of the Seas that wasn't an issue for me. But I generally get hit with the post-cruise blues quite badly once I get home. DocLC and WhiteSoxFan 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mike_ Posted October 6, 2015 Author Report Share Posted October 6, 2015 I usually miss small things about home, namely normal internet speeds but on Quantum of the Seas that wasn't an issue for me. But I generally get hit with the post-cruise blues quite badly once I get home. And... the only way to limit those blues is the knowledge that you somehow talked your wife into booking another cruise while aboard. Crazy. I actually said to my wife the last day of our last cruise, "I think I am done with cruising for a while." The next day, I was already looking towards the next one. I am joining Cruisers Anonymous, this blog and podcasts are not helping. Matt 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Galveston Steve Posted October 8, 2015 Report Share Posted October 8, 2015 Very interesting topic. I always feel the stress of the packing/preparation/travel instantly melt away the moment I step on the promenade deck and realize I'm finally on board! We just got back from Brilliance (Canada/New England) and I had been reflecting on a couple of progressions during this cruise. Dining: Our first night in the MDR was so slow that we missed half of the show. After a bad MDR experience on a previous cruise I had that "here we go again" feeling. The next night at Chops the head of food and beverage came by and asked how our experience had been. I took the opportunity to provide feedback on the slow service in MDR. The rest of the cruise our waiter and head waiter were very attentive and really stepped up our service. By the end of the cruise I was very pleased with our overall dining experience. Entertainment: The first night or two I felt the orchestra and headliner entertainment was very good but not a total WOW. As the week went by every night got better. By the end of the cruise I was blown away by the amazing entertainment that we experienced. This happened to me on previous cruises and I wonder if it's a strategy of Royal Caribbean to have a progression of better, more "Wow" entertainment as the week goes on. I felt this way about both the main theater and the other events on board. Overall, my progression is usually to be more and more impressed by Royal Caribbean as the week goes on. I have to say I'm never ready to go back home until I'm off the ship. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
michelle Posted October 8, 2015 Report Share Posted October 8, 2015 So funny I actually eat better on a ship I think than at home - but I also don't allow myself to takethe elevators that much and the extra walking steps I take seem to help me -but yes I hate the feeling of the "last night" on any ship WhiteSoxFan 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DocLC Posted October 8, 2015 Report Share Posted October 8, 2015 Given that we were on a longer cruise last time, we made sure to be active on port days and to hit the gym on sea days. We also made sure to hit at least 10,000 steps by the end of the day in addition to the gym. If we were short, we'd walk the ship until we hit our step goal. Matt and WhiteSoxFan 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
WhiteSoxFan Posted October 8, 2015 Report Share Posted October 8, 2015 So funny I actually eat better on a ship I think than at home - but I also don't allow myself to take the elevators that much and the extra walking steps I take seem to help me -but yes I hate the feeling of the "last night" on any ship We do that also. We almost always take the stairs. The only time we might use the elevator is coming back from an excursion when we are on deck 10 (or 12 on the Allure). I too hate that "we have to get up early and leave" feeling on the last night. Given that we were on a longer cruise last time, we made sure to be active on port days and to hit the gym on sea days. We also made sure to hit at least 10,000 steps by the end of the day in addition to the gym. If we were short, we'd walk the ship until we hit our step goal. I don't think we've ever had a problem hitting 10,000 steps. We usually walk a couple miles on the track plus all the walking and up and down we do during the day. We once had an aft cabin on the Freedom. I was in the theater and had forgotten something. I walked back to the cabin and back to the theater, that had to be worth 500 steps right there! DocLC 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bcarney Posted November 15, 2015 Report Share Posted November 15, 2015 On the Jewel, we cancelled Portofino on the last night as I couldn't eat any more. You missed something there. We did Chops and thought it was ok, nothing to write home about. Later that week we did Portofino. I'm not a fan of Italian food, but I have to say I was blown away by the meal - fantastic! I can honestly say it was a high point of the trip. I'm kind of bummed that they have replaced them on other ships. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bcarney Posted November 15, 2015 Report Share Posted November 15, 2015 We purposely ate lunch in the MDR because of this, too. We also hit the gym for almost 2 hours in the afternoon on sea days and hiked while in port. It helped some. My wife and I also share entrees, which allows us to sample without having to order two each. I must be weird - I actually lose a little weight on cruises since I'm so much more active than I am in 'real life"... I can't find a doctor that would recommend cruising a long term diet plan though. :) DocLC 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bcarney Posted November 15, 2015 Report Share Posted November 15, 2015 I actually said to my wife the last day of our last cruise, "I think I am done with cruising for a while." The next day, I was already looking towards the next one. I am joining Cruisers Anonymous, this blog and podcasts are not helping. Similar situation here. After our last cruise I was *done* cruising for a while. It took six months to get over that and book another. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DocLC Posted November 15, 2015 Report Share Posted November 15, 2015 You missed something there. We did Chops and thought it was ok, nothing to write home about. Later that week we did Portofino. I'm not a fan of Italian food, but I have to say I was blown away by the meal - fantastic! I can honestly say it was a high point of the trip. I'm kind of bummed that they have replaced them on other ships. We'll get a chance to try it on the Liberty. We booked Portofino for the last night that it will be open before it's converted to Giovanni's. bcarney 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DocLC Posted November 15, 2015 Report Share Posted November 15, 2015 I must be weird - I actually lose a little weight on cruises since I'm so much more active than I am in 'real life"... I can't find a doctor that would recommend cruising a long term diet plan though. :)I'll be attempting this, too, as I have a half marathon the week we get back and I don't need any added weight to slow me down. Galveston Steve 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Matt Posted November 15, 2015 Report Share Posted November 15, 2015 Similar situation here. After our last cruise I was *done* cruising for a while. It took six months to get over that and book another. I don't think it's a prerequisite to want to cruise 365 days a year to be a cruise fan. I can definitely see a week long cruise being enough and then taking a break. The key is you want to return. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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