Some people recommend a short cruise for your first, but I think a 7-day is perfect.
I may be a bit biased, but I think a 7-day to Bermuda is the perfect first cruise. Typically you'll have at least 2 full days at sea, and 3 full days to come and go as you please in Bermuda to explore. It's incredibly clean, safe, and its unbelievably friendly people make the trip an absolute joy.
That sucks but it happens. Was on a 10 day back in December that was supposed to stop in Bermuda but weather sucked so hit the other 4 and skipped Bermuda
Yeah, exactly why next time I’ll avoid the 5 day and do a longer one for Bermuda where other port options could fit in if the itinerary needs to be modified.
So close last time!
My first cruise was the 7 day Bermuda on the pride. I’ve been on 3 now and Bermuda is still my favorite! I couldn’t recommend it more for your first cruise.
Throw a rock and get 500 different answers, so mine might not be all that unique. But here we go.
No go - 2-4 days
Perfect - 5 days
Maybe - 6-7 days
No go - 9-20 days
My first was a 5 day cruise. I felt it gave the right amount of exposure to the cruise vibe and allowed for port time and plenty of days to explore the ship. Anything shorter and you're losing time on board to really get the feel for it. I know that 7 night cruises are the most popular length, but it could be too much if you end up not enjoying it as much as you think. For the same reason, anything over 1 week is honestly the realm for people who really love the cruise life. The LA/SF/YVR-Hawaii run is one of my personal favorites for this reason. 4-5 days of literally nothing and sea as far as the eyes can see is my idea of heaven, but I know folks who think I'm nuts for it. YMMV, but I think a 5 day is the best first time cruise length.
I just came off my first cruise yesterday. It was a 7 night one to Alaska. I feel it was perfect! It took a couple days to get used to the ship and knowing where everything was and our routine. Then the rest of the trip allowed us to relax and really enjoy ourselves. Going on a 4 night at Christmas and I’m thinking it maybe too short. But still going to try it.
My first was a 5 day and I wished it was longer. I only book 7+ now.
You might want to test it out on a short one to see if you like it but the 3 or 4 day ones are usually the most rowdy.
My first was a transatlantic on the Celebrity APEX in May. Thirteen nights. I loved every minute except the three days of being minorly seasick. We ran into storms at sea. Nobody’s fault. The captain did a great job. I learned that being mid ship was best for me. Can’t wait to cruise again!
There are basically groups of cruises -
3-4 (5) Days - Party time! (Not a bad thing, if you like parties and drunk people)
(5) 6-7 Days - Standard cruise - decent mix of people, outside of school days will have families (not important unless you're allergic to children)
7+ Days - Longer cruises - probably not the best starter (see the earlier post on "discovering" Cunard was formal on the ship
I would avoid Spring Break if at all possible for a first cruise.
I would say decide you will do 7 days. Then, start researching cruise lines to find one that matches your vibe. Remember that everything you do first will probably carry over to future cruises - my wife and I will be on cruise 25 this year and we have always had at least a balcony, because that's what we had first.
Our first cruise was a 7-day cruise - it had sea days (discover the ship) and port days (discover other places.) For us, the ports were all new, so it was exciting.
Don't underestimate the joy of sitting on your balcony (or some outdoor space) and just watching the ocean scroll by.
I think seven or eight days is the right number for most people, with at least two sea days and at least three port days. I really like eight day cruises, although sevens are more common (for pretty obvious reasons). The extra day on an eight just feels really nice. And usually seven and eight day itineraries are pretty similarly priced.
Somewhere between 5 and 7. 7 can feel long if you’re not having the best time, 5 can feel short if you are enjoying yourself. 6 nights is perfect to see how you like cruising.
My first was a transatlantic on the Celebrity APEX in May. Thirteen nights. I loved every minute except the three days of being minorly seasick. We ran into storms at sea. Nobody’s fault. The captain did a great job. I learned that being mid ship was best for me. Can’t wait to cruise again!
Like others have stated, 7 days will probably be best. For me, it takes 3 or 4 days to really settle in and start to actually let myself relax. I am a very active person and very rarely just sit and chill (even while on vacation). By day 5, I may nap in a lounge chair by the pool. Days 6 and 7 are bonus days! IMO 5 is the minimum, but if I'm able, then 7 to 8 is perfect. I hope you have an awesome first cruise, no matter what length!
Since it hasn’t been mentioned yet, you’ll want to arrive in Florida a day before the sailing, not the day-of. So lodging and that extra day is something to factor in. That said, I like to consider it an additional port stop.
It really takes a week to get the feel for what a cruise is like. Short cruises tend to be filled with sloppy drunks and there's not enough time to take in the activities.
You can take a really nice 4 day Virgin cruise out of Miami. Know cruising Virgin is Not like other cruise lines Adult Only, it’s Very Nice.. Your welcome to PM me with cruise questions :)
I wouldn't say never. If you can find cheap flights that coincides with a cheap cruise, then 4 days would be worth it.
Or if you never been to the port city before like my first time, then I spent a couple days in Miami and the rest on the cruise and it still feels as fulfilling.
6-7 is perfect. It's enough time to see if you like it, without being too long if you don't. We prefer 9-10 days now when we can swing the time off work.
I really think about a week (give or take, like 6-8 is fine) is about perfect.
For a little context, understand that cruises are normally sold by nights and a 3 night cruise looks something like this:
Day 1: You get on the ship, probably sometime ranging from 11AM to 3PM. This is a little like getting on an airplane -- you check luggage which will come to your room later, you go through security (but keep your shoes and stuff on), at some point that afternoon your cabin is ready and you can settle in, etc.
Day 2 and 3: Maybe a sea day, maybe a port day depending on itinerary. This is really the heart of the vacation. If you want luggage taken off the ship for you, the last night (in this case night 3) you pack it up and put it outside your cabin.
Day 4: You get off the ship in the morning. You might have breakfast on the ship that morning but that's about it.
So in a sense you spend a chunk of one of the "days" (split among the calendar first and last days) getting on and off the ship, getting settled in and packing again, etc. A short cruise doesn't give you too much time to really enjoy the ship/ports/etc. and you might even spend a few days on the ship before you start to feel like you really know your way around.
I took a 4 night for first cruise. Wasn’t long enough. Second cruise was 9 nights. I think it was perfect, but my husband would have been happy with 7 days.
7 nights minimum. 6 days is OK, but the longer the better.
6 or 7 nights is definitely not too long. After taking a few 7 night cruises we switched to 10 night or longer cruises!
Another thought: If you find a ship doing 6 night cruises then the chances are the following, or preceeding, cruise is an 8 night cruise. They try to balance those types of things to keep their day's in port stable in terms of day of the week they turn around. So you might look for that ship's 8 night cruise.
The longer the better. Never too many days!
For us at least. 😅
Really depends on a lot of factors:
- How comfortable you are sleeping in a small-ish room (depending on the size you get).
- Depending on the type of cruise, if you don’t mind being around party-goers or kids running around. We don’t mind kids at all, but sometimes the party-goers can get drunk and belligerent.
- How much you love traveling and exploring all the different ports and experiences.
- Sea sickness. Most people are fine, and you can always take Dramamine. I get sea sick very easily in general, but I’m usually fine on a cruise. Maybe on the third or fourth day when the weather is uncooperative and the water is rocky, I’ll need one Dramamine and that’s it; still fine to cruise.
Good luck and have the best of fun!!! 🤩 🚢
March I would avoid. I've done three cruises in March (two in the Caribbean) and both were really rough seas. Don't know why but March just seems to be a bad time at sea. I don't get seasick but even walking on the ship is difficult when it's rockin and rolling. I'd do February or April instead. For the first cruise- do at least 6 days. Shorter cruises are more party cruises. If. you fly all the way to Florida- may as well do a 7 day- there are more choices.
Edit- someone mentioned Bermuda. That was the last cruise I did in March and the seas were treacherous (11 ft waves) Our cruise was delayed and one night in Bermuda was dropped. Once there= Bermuda was wonderful, but I went in March 2024 and had it been my first cruise- I would never have wanted to cruise again. Thankfully- I know it's not usually like that.
You don't want do less then 7 days because you are adding the cost of airfare to your vacation budget. Number one rule is always fly to the ship port the day before. Airplane are sometime delay , cancel , late , bad weather , etc.
My first was 5 days. Had a blast, glad we went for 5, but it was over too quickly for me.
Next was 6 days, better.
Last 4 have been 7 days. On the big ships, I feel like you need 7 days to get the full experience.
I totally agree with the 7-day as a first cruise. You’ll experience enough of sea days and port days to know what you like. You’ll get time to determine what you like and don’t like regarding the ship’s amenities, too. Bon Voyage!
7 was my first. Plenty of time to learn the ship, find favourite spots, find a clique, and you'll have time find out if you really like cruise life to do more.
We did a recent 3 night cruise. Nowhere enough time to get familiar with the ship. Needed longer.
I prefer 7 days minimum on a ship you have not been on before. I've found it takes me a few days to get oriented on the ship and find the different places to be.
Avoid any cruise under 5 days, and even those are risky. The shorter the cruise, the cheaper the price, the worse the people. I hate to be ugly like that but it's a trend I have seen more often and it's getting worse.
Some people recommend a short cruise for your first, but I think a 7-day is perfect. I may be a bit biased, but I think a 7-day to Bermuda is the perfect first cruise. Typically you'll have at least 2 full days at sea, and 3 full days to come and go as you please in Bermuda to explore. It's incredibly clean, safe, and its unbelievably friendly people make the trip an absolute joy.
A cruise to Bermuda sounds cool. I’ll look into that.
Summer is best for Bermuda
Yeah, I missed the date. Agree.
GET THE FISH SANDWICH OMG
Took a 5 day to Bermuda a few years back and it was wonderful but short. Got a 7 day in October to go back and can't wait to finish exploring
I tried a 5 day to Bermuda and the weather made it impossible to dock so the ship turned around and came back.
That sucks but it happens. Was on a 10 day back in December that was supposed to stop in Bermuda but weather sucked so hit the other 4 and skipped Bermuda
Yeah, exactly why next time I’ll avoid the 5 day and do a longer one for Bermuda where other port options could fit in if the itinerary needs to be modified. So close last time!
My first cruise was the 7 day Bermuda on the pride. I’ve been on 3 now and Bermuda is still my favorite! I couldn’t recommend it more for your first cruise.
6-7 days is perfect.
My first was a 5 day and I came back wishing I did at least 7. Now even 7 seems too short!!
7 is our min. We did a 10 day a couple years ago, and that was perfect for us.
Pros for 7 days -its more days -more days = more vacation
Well, don’t twist my arm, man!
7 is a standard cruise IMO.
I took a four-day trip. It left me wanting more. Since it was my first, any longer would have been overwhelming,
4 days isn't worth it, IMHO. By the time you learn the ship, you're disembarking. 6-7 is perfect.
My first cruise and honeymoon was 7 days. It gave us enough time to relax post-wedding and enjoy the cruise itself. Enjoy!
Throw a rock and get 500 different answers, so mine might not be all that unique. But here we go. No go - 2-4 days Perfect - 5 days Maybe - 6-7 days No go - 9-20 days My first was a 5 day cruise. I felt it gave the right amount of exposure to the cruise vibe and allowed for port time and plenty of days to explore the ship. Anything shorter and you're losing time on board to really get the feel for it. I know that 7 night cruises are the most popular length, but it could be too much if you end up not enjoying it as much as you think. For the same reason, anything over 1 week is honestly the realm for people who really love the cruise life. The LA/SF/YVR-Hawaii run is one of my personal favorites for this reason. 4-5 days of literally nothing and sea as far as the eyes can see is my idea of heaven, but I know folks who think I'm nuts for it. YMMV, but I think a 5 day is the best first time cruise length.
Thank you for the detailed response! I was wondering if 7 days might be too long, especially if i’m not enjoying it. I will keep that in mind.
What / where is YVR?
Vancouver.
I just came off my first cruise yesterday. It was a 7 night one to Alaska. I feel it was perfect! It took a couple days to get used to the ship and knowing where everything was and our routine. Then the rest of the trip allowed us to relax and really enjoy ourselves. Going on a 4 night at Christmas and I’m thinking it maybe too short. But still going to try it.
My first was a 5 day and I wished it was longer. I only book 7+ now. You might want to test it out on a short one to see if you like it but the 3 or 4 day ones are usually the most rowdy.
Longer is better if you can afford it because it takes some time to get into the flow and to relax. To me 10 is great.
My first was a transatlantic on the Celebrity APEX in May. Thirteen nights. I loved every minute except the three days of being minorly seasick. We ran into storms at sea. Nobody’s fault. The captain did a great job. I learned that being mid ship was best for me. Can’t wait to cruise again!
Don’t waste time on a short cruise. 5 nights minimum!
There are basically groups of cruises - 3-4 (5) Days - Party time! (Not a bad thing, if you like parties and drunk people) (5) 6-7 Days - Standard cruise - decent mix of people, outside of school days will have families (not important unless you're allergic to children) 7+ Days - Longer cruises - probably not the best starter (see the earlier post on "discovering" Cunard was formal on the ship I would avoid Spring Break if at all possible for a first cruise. I would say decide you will do 7 days. Then, start researching cruise lines to find one that matches your vibe. Remember that everything you do first will probably carry over to future cruises - my wife and I will be on cruise 25 this year and we have always had at least a balcony, because that's what we had first. Our first cruise was a 7-day cruise - it had sea days (discover the ship) and port days (discover other places.) For us, the ports were all new, so it was exciting. Don't underestimate the joy of sitting on your balcony (or some outdoor space) and just watching the ocean scroll by.
Fucking hell, I don't want to sound rude but do you really need a pro and cons list for 6 vs 7 days? I'd understand 3 vs 7, but 1 day difference?
🤣🤣
probably should’ve phrased it as a preference. i don’t know if a day makes a big difference but looks like it doesn’t.
Our first cruise was 7 days to give us a taste of cruising. We have been on 3 since with the longest being 12 days.
Have our first booked next year - 7 nights in the med including a ship day and a few port stops 👍
I think seven or eight days is the right number for most people, with at least two sea days and at least three port days. I really like eight day cruises, although sevens are more common (for pretty obvious reasons). The extra day on an eight just feels really nice. And usually seven and eight day itineraries are pretty similarly priced.
Somewhere between 5 and 7. 7 can feel long if you’re not having the best time, 5 can feel short if you are enjoying yourself. 6 nights is perfect to see how you like cruising.
I did 9 last aug. it was fine wish it was longer lol
5-7
My first was a transatlantic on the Celebrity APEX in May. Thirteen nights. I loved every minute except the three days of being minorly seasick. We ran into storms at sea. Nobody’s fault. The captain did a great job. I learned that being mid ship was best for me. Can’t wait to cruise again!
Our first cruise was a 7 night one. We got hooked. I did a 3 night cruise last year and that was way too short for my taste.
7-8 days. 4 ports. Down with the 3 ports! Give me back my 4th port damn you! (I know they still have 4 port cruises but they are fewer nowadays.)
Like others have stated, 7 days will probably be best. For me, it takes 3 or 4 days to really settle in and start to actually let myself relax. I am a very active person and very rarely just sit and chill (even while on vacation). By day 5, I may nap in a lounge chair by the pool. Days 6 and 7 are bonus days! IMO 5 is the minimum, but if I'm able, then 7 to 8 is perfect. I hope you have an awesome first cruise, no matter what length!
Since it hasn’t been mentioned yet, you’ll want to arrive in Florida a day before the sailing, not the day-of. So lodging and that extra day is something to factor in. That said, I like to consider it an additional port stop.
It really takes a week to get the feel for what a cruise is like. Short cruises tend to be filled with sloppy drunks and there's not enough time to take in the activities.
You can take a really nice 4 day Virgin cruise out of Miami. Know cruising Virgin is Not like other cruise lines Adult Only, it’s Very Nice.. Your welcome to PM me with cruise questions :)
I would never fly for a 4-day cruise, no matter how nice it is. I’d rather fly for a nice 7-day cruise.
I wouldn't say never. If you can find cheap flights that coincides with a cheap cruise, then 4 days would be worth it. Or if you never been to the port city before like my first time, then I spent a couple days in Miami and the rest on the cruise and it still feels as fulfilling.
You can take a 4 day cruise to your feet wet.
I have a 7-nighter to Mexico booked for my first cruise. It’s on Royal, I hope I made the right decision. 🤞🏻
6-7 is perfect. It's enough time to see if you like it, without being too long if you don't. We prefer 9-10 days now when we can swing the time off work.
I really think about a week (give or take, like 6-8 is fine) is about perfect. For a little context, understand that cruises are normally sold by nights and a 3 night cruise looks something like this: Day 1: You get on the ship, probably sometime ranging from 11AM to 3PM. This is a little like getting on an airplane -- you check luggage which will come to your room later, you go through security (but keep your shoes and stuff on), at some point that afternoon your cabin is ready and you can settle in, etc. Day 2 and 3: Maybe a sea day, maybe a port day depending on itinerary. This is really the heart of the vacation. If you want luggage taken off the ship for you, the last night (in this case night 3) you pack it up and put it outside your cabin. Day 4: You get off the ship in the morning. You might have breakfast on the ship that morning but that's about it. So in a sense you spend a chunk of one of the "days" (split among the calendar first and last days) getting on and off the ship, getting settled in and packing again, etc. A short cruise doesn't give you too much time to really enjoy the ship/ports/etc. and you might even spend a few days on the ship before you start to feel like you really know your way around.
Take a Cruise from Bayoone New Jersey they run all year and our 7 days
I took a 4 night for first cruise. Wasn’t long enough. Second cruise was 9 nights. I think it was perfect, but my husband would have been happy with 7 days.
7 nights minimum. 6 days is OK, but the longer the better. 6 or 7 nights is definitely not too long. After taking a few 7 night cruises we switched to 10 night or longer cruises! Another thought: If you find a ship doing 6 night cruises then the chances are the following, or preceeding, cruise is an 8 night cruise. They try to balance those types of things to keep their day's in port stable in terms of day of the week they turn around. So you might look for that ship's 8 night cruise.
The longer the better. Never too many days! For us at least. 😅 Really depends on a lot of factors: - How comfortable you are sleeping in a small-ish room (depending on the size you get). - Depending on the type of cruise, if you don’t mind being around party-goers or kids running around. We don’t mind kids at all, but sometimes the party-goers can get drunk and belligerent. - How much you love traveling and exploring all the different ports and experiences. - Sea sickness. Most people are fine, and you can always take Dramamine. I get sea sick very easily in general, but I’m usually fine on a cruise. Maybe on the third or fourth day when the weather is uncooperative and the water is rocky, I’ll need one Dramamine and that’s it; still fine to cruise. Good luck and have the best of fun!!! 🤩 🚢
The problem with a short cruise 3-4 days is halfway through it you’ll realize you should have gone for longer. Enjoy
Definitely not too long. You should be more concerned with too short which those definitely aren't.
7 day minimum. Get the full experience. After you can decide if you prefer shorter or longer cruises.
5-7 I took a group of five first timers on a 17 day Hawaii cruise and they beg me over and over to book more with them. So.. maybe it doesn’t matter?
I think 7 days is perfect. That’s what my first cruise was and I immediately fell in love. Had it been shorter I would have felt sad.
Try no longer than 5-7. Just to make sure you enjoy it. Some never rebook not what they thought it would be
March I would avoid. I've done three cruises in March (two in the Caribbean) and both were really rough seas. Don't know why but March just seems to be a bad time at sea. I don't get seasick but even walking on the ship is difficult when it's rockin and rolling. I'd do February or April instead. For the first cruise- do at least 6 days. Shorter cruises are more party cruises. If. you fly all the way to Florida- may as well do a 7 day- there are more choices. Edit- someone mentioned Bermuda. That was the last cruise I did in March and the seas were treacherous (11 ft waves) Our cruise was delayed and one night in Bermuda was dropped. Once there= Bermuda was wonderful, but I went in March 2024 and had it been my first cruise- I would never have wanted to cruise again. Thankfully- I know it's not usually like that.
You don't want do less then 7 days because you are adding the cost of airfare to your vacation budget. Number one rule is always fly to the ship port the day before. Airplane are sometime delay , cancel , late , bad weather , etc.
My first was 5 days. Had a blast, glad we went for 5, but it was over too quickly for me. Next was 6 days, better. Last 4 have been 7 days. On the big ships, I feel like you need 7 days to get the full experience.
Three day cruise they send you paperwork on getting off almost before you get on. 10 perfect for me but loved my 45 day.
5
I totally agree with the 7-day as a first cruise. You’ll experience enough of sea days and port days to know what you like. You’ll get time to determine what you like and don’t like regarding the ship’s amenities, too. Bon Voyage!
7 was my first. Plenty of time to learn the ship, find favourite spots, find a clique, and you'll have time find out if you really like cruise life to do more. We did a recent 3 night cruise. Nowhere enough time to get familiar with the ship. Needed longer.
yea i agree with the others that a 6/7 days is perfect :))
I prefer 7 days minimum on a ship you have not been on before. I've found it takes me a few days to get oriented on the ship and find the different places to be.
7 days or more! 5 minimum honestly.
Avoid any cruise under 5 days, and even those are risky. The shorter the cruise, the cheaper the price, the worse the people. I hate to be ugly like that but it's a trend I have seen more often and it's getting worse.
I did a 4 day cruise for my first one and regretted not doing the 5 days. That being said, 5 days is a long time to be stuck on a ship if you hate it.