7 things you didn’t know you could do on a cruise

Onboard classes have evolved from the days of flower arranging and basket weaving. These days, you can enjoy the kind of workshop you’d come across in a cool inner-city warehouse. The Pacific Explorer, for example, offers gin-tasting classes at The Bonded Store (a cocktail bar with a relaxed atmosphere). Cheers!

Looking for a good time? Cruises often host themed parties. Royal Carribbean’s Anthem of the Seas, for example, hosts everything from silent parties to 70s discos. On the Pacific Explorer, Gatsby-themed parties are all the rage. You can also enjoy live bands and curated cocktails while you dance the night away. Don’t forget to pack a killer frock!

Souvenirs don’t come more stylish than luxe candles and designer cushions from some of Australia’s most exclusive brands. Best of all, shopping at sea means it is tax and duty-free! After travelling onboard Carnival Splendor, Better Homes and Gardens’ deputy editor Raffaela Pugliese came back with this advice for shopping while cruising, “On the last day at sea some of the stores are on sale with a wide range of products and duty-free items discounted, so you might just bag a bargain.”

Life at sea doesn’t have to mean an endless round of all-you-can-eat buffets (although there’s nothing stopping you if that’s what floats your boat!) You can seek out specialty restaurants and dine at renowned restaurants by celebrity chefs including Jamie Oliver, Luke Mangan and Guy Fieri.

You’ll find a plethora of entertainment options for kids of all ages. Book the little ones into the kids club and enjoy a date-night or some much-needed ‘me time’ at an adults-only retreat. Lie back and say ‘ahhhh’.

This isn’t your tired old cabaret show. Onboard productions are better than ever, featuring elite performers, world-class choreography and dazzling circus acrobatics. On P&O Cruises, you can rock out to Rock – Anthem of the Ages which features a live band playing some of the greatest rock songs of all time. If you’re travelling with Royal Caribbean, you can enjoy a broadway play at sea, with Ben Elton’s award-winning We Will Rock You performed to a score of classic anthems by rock band, Queen.

Lie back on a lounge and snooze the day away – or get the adrenaline pumping on a flying fox or water slide. You can also ride a Segway, play laser tag, go rock climbing or go abseiling. If you prefer something more relaxed, try barefoot lawn bowls or play quoits.