Cruising is an experience everyone has to have at least once! And chances are after your first cruise, you're going to want to keep coming back for more. Problem is, you don't always have the time to take off for weeks to months away from home and work. Maybe you haven't even been on your first cruise yet because you're under the impression you need 5+ days for the full cruising experience.

So instead of settling for no time off in the hopes that one day you can cruise transatlantic to Europe and beyond, why not treat yourself to a weekend cruise to the Caribbean or another warm island destination closeby to your home port?

Whether you've landed on this post because this is your first time cruising and you're not sure if you should book a 2-day cruise, 3-day cruise, 4-day cruise, or longer, or if you're an avid cruiser but have run out of PTO, here are the reasons short cruises may be well suited for you:

Reasons to Take a Weekend Cruise

1. You have a limited amount of time you can take off.

2. You're on a tight budget (cruises are often all-inclusive, meaning you're paying for the vacation, unlimited food, stay, entertainment and more in one cruise cost - totaling out to much less money than if you tried venturing to these destinations on your own.

3. You've never cruised before or travelled outside of the country. The cruise lines plan everything for you, and we offer you excellent deals on shore excursions, so even when you're off the ship, you have the comfort of leaving all of the details to the tour guide.

4. They're basically hassle-free. You don't have to worry about plane tickets, road trips, and booking Airbnbs; you just get the fun part of the vacation - enjoying it!

Aside from contacting ussaczrddxye to book your weekend cruise and get the best cruise deals, there are some things that you should do before you call and after your short cruise has been booked. Here's what we recommend doing when planning your own weekend cruise:

Questions to Answer Pre-Booking

1. Are you planning to cruise solo or do you have someone in mind to cruise with? Loop in your cruise companion so you can make sure you're on the same page on all of the following.

2. How much time can you actually spend cruising? Can you only afford one day off, so you need to embark the ship Friday and get back home Sunday? Or do you have a bit more wiggle room where you can sail until Monday?

3. Where is your closest port? What is the travel time to get there? You'll need to factor that into how much time you're able to take off for your vacation.

4. When can you actually make this happen? If you don't have any PTO left, maybe you can travel on a holiday weekend.

5. How much can you afford, including both the cost of the cruise and other expenses? While plenty of necessary things on the ship are complementary, keep in mind that parking/transportation to the cruise port, beverage packages (if you plan to drink alcohol), shore excursions, and dining on the island(s) will cost extra.

Once you know the answers to these questions, give us a call and we'll help you find the best suited cruise for your budget, availability, and number of guests.

Book Your Excursions & Make Reservations

While most activities on the ship are complementary, if you'd like to eat at a specialty restaurant, indulge in a massage, rent water sports equipment such as snorkeling gear, or participate in an excursion tour, you're going to be spending some extra money.

It's not a matter of just showing up at the restaurant or spa with credit card in hand though and while most ships have excursion desks, these adventures can get booked fully, fairly quickly. Therefore, if there's anything that you would like to spend money on aboard the cruise or at the destinations, aside from shopping, then you should look into booking your activities ahead of time.

This is something you can do by speaking with us at iCruise, through our shore excursion option on our website, or through the cruise line itself.

This also includes WiFi packages, beverage packages, etc.

If you'd like to partake in fitness classes, most of these come at a price and sometimes you need to sign up ahead of time once you're on the ship. To learn more about fitness class options, make sure to stop by the ship's gym while you are touring the decks on your first day.

Other activities on the ship that are free, such as trivia, game shows, theater performances, and more will be included on the itinerary you receive daily onboard the ship, so you can plan your days accordingly. Or just go with the flow! You are on vacation after all.

Pack for Your Trip

One of the nice aspects of planning a weekend cruise is that you can pack light and carry your luggage on as carry on, avoiding the delay of checking in luggage and waiting for it to arrive to your cabin. This also means smoother boarding of the ship.

To know what to pack, refer to our comprehensive cruise packing checklist to make sure that you have everything you need for a relaxing and fun weekend getaway!

A weekend cruise away can be the perfect thing that you need to de-stress, relax, or just simply have a good time. Short cruises don't need to break the bank, and they save you the worry of having to plan everything yourself. Simply have an idea of what you're looking for, contact us at iCruise, book your excursions, make your reservations, and leave the rest to the cruise line! It's their job to provide pristine vacations, so you don't have to plan or spend nearly as much.

For any more questions on how to plan your weekend cruise, call us today and we'll help you set up your 2-day cruise, 3-day cruise, 4-day cruise, even month-long cruise if you were hoping for more of a long-cruise plan! Happy sailing.

About Sarah Pruzansky, Cruise & Travel Writer

Sarah Pruzansky is passionate about everything related to travel, hospitality, environmental science, self-care, and writing. She joined the iCruise team in February 2019 and assists the company in developing blog and web content that shows the benefits of cruising, information on different ports of call and destinations, and other industry tips for those looking to cruise.