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Life aboard a cruise ship can be busy and loud with parties, conga lines, splashing children, and crowded buffets. Itâs welcome on departure and the first day. The rest of trip, perhaps not always. Your cabin was made for sleeping, not relaxing. Here are a few ways and places to find welcome quiet.
11 TIPS
Make this a part of your initial tour. Donât wait until the sixth day of your weeklong trip to find a few special places. Do your research or ask AI about your ship before you board. Embarcation day in particular is a perfect time to start walking the ship to find your favorite off-the-beaten path areas.
Headphones. Those noise-canceling head or earphones you brought on the plane ⊠keep them unpacked for the ship. Anywhere with a comfy chair is a great place to tune out the noise and read a wonderful book.
The spa. Get an amazing aromatherapy mist or therapeutic soak. Often youâll be alone at the thermal suite or can find an empty room. Sometimeâs you gotta pay for the peace.
The gym workout room. Theyâre typically a welcome oasis in between classes ⊠if you donât mind an occasional visitor quietly stretching out.
Adults-only and premium sections. There are few people there due to their exclusivity. That may be due to their remote location like the Carnival Serenity deck at the top of the ships or their qualifications, where you need to pay or stay in a premium cabin.
The library and card room ⊠if the ship has them. Typically no one is there. I was on the Carnival Cruise Line Celebration. The huge megaship has plenty of room. But there is no library like some of their older smaller ships. The card room consisted of a table at the Havana Club.
Bars, clubs, and main dining rooms (MDR) off-hours. The MDR in particular often has a wonderful ocean view, one you donât get to see at night during dinner.
Lounges. Cruise ships have quiet interior locations away from the noise of pools, clubs, casino, and sports. It may be the atrium, an isolated lounge, or a dedicated area. Theyâre an excellent place to talk or read ⊠provided youâre there when there is no live music or entertainment (check the daily schedule). For example, Royal Caribbeanâs Central Park is an open-air neighborhood that features thousands of trees and live plants.
The front deck. Some ships have a front deck that many people donât know about. Check your ship map for these special locations as theyâre only on a few decks and the door may not be at the end of the infinite corridor. The door often has a small round porthole window. Itâs open to enter unless it says itâs crew only.
Other hidden decks. The larger ships have plenty of outside real estate from the Promenade to multiple upper decks. There are always hidden areas with lounge chairs where there are few or no passengers (this is where they send the smokers!) Theyâre perfect for taking in the sunrise or sunset.
Much of the ship on a port day. Many passengers are off ship, an ideal time to find peace in a place thatâs normally busy, such as a choice location in a bar, pool, or hot tub.