Sports

Golf Programs
Golf enthusiasts and newcomers to the sport may enjoy onboard golf simulators as well as nine-hole putting greens. Several lines offer golfing excursions at various ports that typically include transportation, all green fees and club rentals. Ultra-luxury line Silversea Cruises’ Silver Links 365 program offers several golf activities, including help from onboard PGA-classed golf professionals, several golf shore excursions, 22’ x 10’ golf cages and much more. Upscale Seabourn Cruise Line also has extensive programs, as well as shore excursions to St. Andrews are famed the world over as the golf capital and the game has been played here on the famous Old Course since the 15th century. Other lines noted for being tops for golfers are Carnival, Celebrity, Royal Caribbean Princess and Norwegian, especially on its Pride of Aloha in Hawaii.

Sports and Activities
While some people see their cruise vacation as a time to do nothing at all, others are looking for sports and activities. Of course, they can do as little or as much as they like. Cruise ships offer a wide variety of all levels of things for the least to the most active and for those who fall in between. And some days you may feel like being more active, and other days all you want to do is laze around. This is just one of the reasons a cruise is a perfect vacation choice. There is everything from dancing and ping pong, to jogging tracks, sports courts for basketball and volleyball. For warm weather cruises, there is swimming and lots of water sports. Princess Cruises has a New Waves program that offers full P.A.D.I. open water scuba certification as well as snorkeling instruction. There are top fitness centers complete with the best equipment.

Bowling, Surfing & Rock Climbing
If you are looking for something truly different, especially for a cruise ship, there is something for you too on certain cruise ships. You may have never done anything like these fun activities, but here’s your chance and maybe this first-time experience will turn into a passion for you. Royal Caribbean has “FlowRider®,” a surf simulator, on some of its ships, with man-made waves, so you can go “surfing” onboard! This is a lot of fun for both adults and kids. Some Royal Caribbean ships have an ice-skating rink and there is also a boxing ring on the line’s new Freedom of the Seas. Norwegian Cruise Line’s newest ship, Norwegian Pearl, has the first bowling alley on a cruise ship, with four lanes and 10 pins. Cruisers will also find in-line skating and lots of other activities to enjoy while at sea.