Whenever I think back on my cruising experiences, inevitably I recall the fascinating ports we visited and the historic sites encountered. But added to those mental snapshots of time on shore come images of the host of activities I enjoyed on the ships themselves. In thinking back on our recent two-week cruise in the Caribbean, I realize with some astonishment how busy those at sea days were and how many experiences we packed into our time afloat without much effort. Here’s a quick survey of those “extras” (most included in our cruise fare) we added to our lounging-on-a-deck-chair time:

The fitness center offered instructor-lead classes in Pilates, yoga, spinning and more. I actually made it to a couple! I made use most days of the Promenade Deck, too (three times around is a mile), for a swift walk, and also participated in the On Deck for a Cause fundraising walk to benefit six different international cancer-fighting organizations.

Most evenings we adjourned to one of the lounges for cocktails and a trivia contest. Sometimes we joined forces with another couple or group; it provided a fun way to meet new folks and test our knowledge.

Opportunities to expand our knowledge included cooking demonstrations (with recipes freely provided) in the Culinary Arts Center, wine tastings with the ship’s Cellar Master and tech classes in the Digital Workshop (covering subjects such as cloud storage and creating a slideshow or movie with our digital photos). We could attend brief talks on upcoming ports and shopping opportunities, and I even got Harry to take part in a beginning ballroom dance class.

Harry also indulged in a massage at the Greenhouse Spa, giving him access to the hydrotherapy pool and the thermal lounge. Another evening he went to a special complimentary scotch tasting where he tried more than 15 different scotches, ranging from $20–250 a bottle. He ended up buying a very special, discounted bottle of Johnny Walker XR21 that proved a good value when compared to the onshore duty-free shops we encountered.

We enjoyed opportunities to learn more about the workings of the ms Nieuw Amsterdam. We took a brief galley tour as well as an extended tour of many of the off-limits-to-passengers departments.

Each evening we received the next day’s Daily Program, giving us the opportunity to plan ahead and scan our options. We could have gone to art auctions, played bridge, taken lessons in the Casino and attended movies and live performances in several venues every evening. A cruise may be many things, but boring it’s not!

— Patty Vanikiotis, associate editor/copy editor