tourism at sea

Tourism is damaging the ocean. Here’s what we can do to protect it

8 million metric tonnes of plastic ends up in the ocean every year. Image:  REUTERS/Johannes P. Christo

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Aleksandra dragozet, melissa novotny.

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What does the big blue mean to you? Is it a holiday destination, a source of income, as for the 60 million people working in the marine fishing industry, a vital protein source of 151 million tonnes for human consumption, or a home to millions of species? The ocean has a different meaning for everyone, but for all of us, it is a source of life.

Vitamin sea

It is often forgotten that two thirds of the Earth’s surface is covered by water. The ocean is big, resilient and heals the soul, but what happens when it is facing a crisis and cannot revitalize its own wounds? Scientists are predicting that 90% of the world's coral reefs will die by 2050 and that the ocean’s biodiversity is degrading at an alarming pace, due to human activities.

With a growing global middle class and increasing ease of travel, people have achieved greater mobility in recent years. According to United Nations World Tourism Organization, the number of international tourist trips worldwide reached 1.3 billion in 2017, and is predicted to reach 1.8 billion by 2030 .

The World Travel Tourism Council forecasts that the future of travel and tourism will support 400 million jobs and contribute to 25% of global net job creation globally. The infrastructure required to sustain this growth in economic activity has increased pressure on natural resources, biodiversity, as well as on local communities.

Tourism can cause harm, but it can also stimulate sustainable development. When properly planned and managed, sustainable tourism can contribute to improved livelihoods , inclusion, cultural heritage and natural resource protection, and promote international understanding.

Here are three examples of how tourism is harming our oceans, and the efforts to mitigate that harm:

1. The cost of tourism

Various tourist hotspots struggle to manage the ever-expanding influx of travellers. Urban dwellers in cities like Amsterdam, Venice and Barcelona are raising their concerns and anti-tourist sentiment is growing . Tourism-driven gentrification can put pressure on the wellbeing and livelihood of the local community, pushing up real estate prices, making the destination overcrowded, and enhancing shore erosion by tourist activities in coastal areas.

In 2017, Palau and New Zealand started a bold campaign requesting visitors to be environmental agents by signing an eco-pledge when visiting their countries. This small step is crucial to shift visitors’ behaviour towards respecting the culture, protecting the country’s natural and living resources, and preserving the country for future generations.

Awareness of sustainability is more important than ever, as user-generated content and peer-to-peer digital platforms like Instagram, Facebook, Airbnb and TripAdvisor are becoming key influencers of the experience economy, tourism trends, and the attitudes of globetrotters.

2. Toxic sunscreen in our seas

As the number of beachgoers has been growing, so has the use of sun protection products. Many people are unaware but 14,000 tonnes of toxic sunscreen make their way to the underwater world each year. In fact, as many as 82,000 kinds of chemicals from personal care products end up in the oceans. The use of chemical sunscreen, water pollution, coral diseases, rising sea temperatures and ocean acidification, lead to deformations in juvenile corals, bleaching of reefs and prevent corals from growing, reproducing and surviving.

In 2018, Hawaii , Mexico and Aruba announced a ban on non-biodegradable sunscreen lotions. Seychelles took a step further and committed to a blue bond to support the financing of ocean and marine-based projects for positive economic, environmental and climate benefits. It is key to have a holistic and innovative approach to the blue economy as the industry is expected to grow at twice the rate of the mainstream economy by 2030 .

3. Circular tides

Global awareness of the footprint of (micro)plastic from tourism gained momentum in 2018. Researchers estimate that an additional 8 million metric tonnes of plastic ends up in the ocean every year . About 40% of all plastic is in single-use packaging , as tourists litter beaches with straws, coffee cups, water bottles and cigarette butts .

In October 2018, Thailand announced the closing of Maya Beach indefinitely to clean up the unstoppable amount of plastic and drainage that tarnished its coastline. The threat to our oceans requires cross-country and regional collaboration , but most importantly multi-stakeholder global engagements.

Strategic partnerships empowering the public and private sector to reduce plastic waste, develop a circular economy and build sustainable and more resilient communities are critical. The alliance between the world’s largest packaging producers, like the New Plastics Economy Global Commitment are key to forging innovative collective action, and solutions to reducing pollution to save our oceans.

There are both positives and negatives stemming from the increase of human mobility and tourism, therefore it is crucial to find a balance to encourage tourism for economic growth and stimulating sustainable incentives for the conservation of our oceans.

The ocean might seem endless, but we are all on the same boat and need to find mutual solutions to ride the waves together. This is crucial not only for our oceans and marine life, but for human survival.

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It is an open platform designed to engage anyone who wants to offer a contribution for the global public good. The core objective is to link up the best innovators to networks of decision-makers, who can implement the change needed for the next decade. As a global platform, UpLink serves to aggregate and guide ideas and impactful activities, and make connections to scale-up impact.

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9 Things Everyone Should Do at SeaWorld Orlando

By Paul Oswell

All products featured on Condé Nast Traveler are independently selected by our editors. However, when you buy something through our retail links, we may earn an affiliate commission.

Think of SeaWorld Orlando , and you probably imagine orcas jumping out of a pool and doing acrobatic tricks in front of applauding audience members. While this is certainly an element of SeaWorld, there’s much more to this Florida attraction. Combined with its neighboring sister facilities, Discovery Cove and Aquatica, SeaWorld welcomes around 4 million guests per year and has loads of restaurants and hotels, including the Hilton Grand Vacations at SeaWorld and Renaissance Orlando at SeaWorld , alongside its many themed attractions.

Since 2014, SeaWorld Orlando has been divided into seven separate entertainment areas known as "seas," which you move through by foot along well-labeled pathways. Each celebrates a different aquatic theme. Here’s the breakdown on those:

Sea of Shallows: The shallow water animal exhibits in this area include Key West , a land and seascape named after the Floridian island that houses some of the sea’s most charismatic inhabitants: rays, turtles, dolphins, manatees, and flamingoes. This is where you can find the Dolphin Theater and the Manta roller coaster, as well as Dolphin Cove , which offers interactive experiences with the resident dolphins and a chance to see dolphin mothers and their calves.

Sea of Legends: This area is based around two hugely popular roller coaster rides, Journey to Atlantis and Kraken , and thrill seekers will definitely want to spend time here. The former has dark, twisting passages and a watery climax, while the latter is an even more spectacular experience, with vertical loops and corkscrews.

Sea of Ice: One of the park’s main attractions, Antarctica: Empire of the Penguins , is housed here. It’s a motion-enhanced movie that follows the adventures of a fictional penguin hero. The live penguin exhibit is also here.

Sea of Delight: Aside from the Sky Tower ride—a 400-foot-tall observation tower with a double-deck rotating pod—a mock Mediterranean village called The Waterfront is also housed here, as are the sea lion and otter viewing stations. The Seaport Theater shows the park’s only land animal show and features impressively skilled dogs, cats, ducks, doves, and even potbellied pigs.

Sea of Mystery: Shark Wreck Reef and Shark Encounter can both be found here, and are among the park’s most popular attractions. The first houses the Mako "hypercoaster," a 75 mile-per-hour ride that simulates an underwater adventure. Shark Encounter is a huge underwater viewing tunnel where the prehistoric beasts swim right above your head. The Nautilus Theater is also located in this area.

Sea of Fun: This is mainly an activity park for younger children, and has a junior rollercoaster, climbing frames, and a water play area. The park has also opened a Sesame Street at SeaWorld area with familiar characters and backdrops from the TV show.

Sea of Power: This is the most familiar area of the park, and home to Shamu Stadium , where the iconic orca shows take place. You can also find the Wild Arctic indoor arena here, which has daily presentations featuring beluga whales and walruses. Due to past controversies, SeaWorld has said that they will be phasing out these performances and their breeding program for orcas.

Discovery Cove

This is an all-inclusive resort owned and operated by SeaWorld as a sister property. The focus here is on interactive and close-up experiences, and to ensure a worthwhile visit, visitor numbers are capped via a reservations system.

The main attractions here include artificial reefs, where guests can swim, snorkel, and even scuba dive to get close to all manner of aquatic life, including a bewildering array of tropical fish, rays, and even sharks (from behind protective glass, that is). The Grand Reef has its own beach, and lagoons that are home to eels, reef sharks, and rays. There’s also a colorful aviary with parrots, toucans, and dozens of other tropical bird species.

Aquatica Water Park

SeaWorld’s water park facility opened in 2008, and is one of the country’s biggest. It’s inspired by the South Pacific, and the park’s décor and mascots are all taken from wildlife found in and around Australia and New Zealand.

Among the more notable highlights are two huge wave pools, and the park’s signature Dolphin Plunge water slide, on which guests slide through an enclosed tube through a pod of Commerson’s Dolphins. There are also two additional, bigger slides, including the drop slides of the Ihu Breakaway Falls and the multi-lane racing slides at Taumata Racer , as well as slower raft slides and a couple of lazy rivers for more relaxing experiences. Kookaburra Cove and Walkabout Waters are areas for younger visitors, with smaller slides, fortresses, and paddling pools.

What else to know before you go

• The regular retail price at the gate for single-entrance SeaWorld Orlando tickets is $99.99 per adult (including children over 3). Kids under 3 are free. Advance online tickets start at $84.99 for single entry. You can buy multi-day combination tickets with the other parks for a small additional cost. Save money by purchasing tickets and experiences in advance online .
• Bring layers. The Florida climate is usually warm (the temperature hovers around 70 degrees in the winter, and gets up to 90 degrees in the summer), but due to the air conditioning and controlled environments, the indoor presentation areas can be chilly year-round.
• Wear clothing that can dry quickly. There’s a lot of water around, and some of it will likely splash on you, especially on the water-based rides. It’s also worth packing a small towel.
• Pick up a map and make a plan. As with any theme park, it’s best to have a sense of organization, otherwise you can lose valuable time wandering around aimlessly. If the big roller coasters are on your must-do list, think about doing them first, early in the day.
• The shows are hugely popular, so arrive 20 to 30 minutes before showtime to get a good seat.
• Don’t drive if you can help it. You can usually avoid the hassle of parking and associated fees ($22 for a normal car) by using the free shuttle service that most hotels and resorts in Orlando offer. Enquire at your concierge desk.

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Deep-Sea Tourism Is on the Rise. But Is It Safe?

The deep sea is so rarely visited—and so little understood—that it’s regularly compared to outer space. but it’s attracting adventurers intent on experiencing something out of the ordinary..

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Triton Submarines has been active since 2007, when it was founded in Florida.

Courtesy of Nick Verola/Triton Submarines

When you go underwater in a submersible, sunlight blinks through the waves that lap against the viewport. This part doesn’t last long. Soon, as the sub begins to descend, the sunlight starts to fade into blue, and as the sub goes down deeper, every color other than blue begins to drain away. Before long, water will start to look dark cobalt. A few hundred feet below the water’s surface, that blue becomes grayish indigo. When author Susan Casey went on her first dive, she described the color—the only light wavelength with enough energy to penetrate at such depth, a “pure ultramarine”—as narcotic. Another thousand feet, and it becomes pitch black.

In the twilight zone, the first layer of ocean classed as the deep sea, sunlight is almost nonexistent. A sub’s LED lights shine out onto a strange world. Half of the species are older than the dinosaurs. Gill sharks, which have existed on Earth for almost 400 million years, swim by. Once a submersible reaches a certain depth, there are no red-light waves, so the fish are bright red—which renders them invisible—or they’re white. Sometimes they’re shiny, like floating mirrors. In many cases, the shape of the creatures and the way they move defies any existing notion of what an animal looks like.

“Why have we ignored so much of the deep for so long? It’s as if we live in a mansion filled with treasures and artworks and fabulous animals, but haven’t bothered to look in most of the rooms,” Casey wrote in her August 2023 book, The Underworld: Journeys to the Depths of the Ocean. “It’s a failure of curiosity, to say the least, a hobbling myopia that leaves us oddly unacquainted with our own home.”

The deep sea is an ecosystem that, by volume, dominates the planet, but to most people, it’s almost entirely inaccessible because so few vessels that are equipped for exploration accept passengers. The deeper you go, the more inaccessible the ocean is; fewer people have reached the absolute nadir than have flown to the International Space Station. Vessels that can reach the deep sea are almost entirely either used for commercial purposes (the oil industry uses subs to maintain underwater wells and pipelines), scientific research, or they’re luxury craft manufactured for the wealthy. To the degree that deep-sea tourism companies exist, they have offered something that operates largely outside of clear legal jurisdiction, making it incumbent on travelers to assess a company’s safety standards and their own taste for risk.

For those who make the descent, though, the experience can be cathartic, rearranging the perception of what the world is made of in ways that are often compared to an astronaut’s experience of seeing Earth from space . The deep sea is as alien as space but closer, stranger than the moon but belonging to this planet. “It is not space. It’s completely alive,” Casey tells me. “When you think of how much emphasis culturally we put on the idea of exploration in space, and here we have this inner space that’s just a matrix of life. That, to me, is very moving. It really expands your perspective on Earth.”

Deep-sea exploration has always been rare. The first functional submarine was likely developed by Cornelius Drebbel in the 17th century, to navigate under the Thames in London, but it wasn’t until three centuries later that the technology was substantially expanded for military and scientific use. Submarines and submersibles —the difference being that the latter usually have to be transported over long distances on another ship or vessel and operate mostly to descend—were always closely tied to exploration, but it wasn’t until 1960 that explorers finally reached the deepest point of the ocean. They used a bathyscaphe, a kind of submersible, and went down to the bottom of Mariana Trench, more than 35,000 feet below the ocean’s surface. The feat wasn’t replicated until 2012, when film director James Cameron descended in a submersible called the Deepsea Challenger .

Since then, though, there have been 20 more crewed descents to the bottom of the Mariana Trench, including explorer Victor Vescovo’s Five Deeps Expedition, which saw him dive to the deepest location in all five of the world’s oceans between December 2018 and September 2019. While the trench remains out of reach for most, private sub experiences are available to almost any committed and affluent traveler, and there are innumerable efforts to make the sea accessible by creative and novel means. In 2019, Uber launched a submersible rideshare to explore the Great Barrier Reef . One company in Vietnam offers submersible trips for 24 people at a time to a few hundred feet underneath the ocean’s surface, and a smattering of other companies offer 100-foot-deep submarine trips in places like Hawai‘i and Cozumel, Mexico.

None of these reach the deep sea, considered to begin at deeper than 600 feet, or even really come close to it. In some cases, they might be more readily compared to scuba diving (scuba divers can’t go beyond 120 feet or so below sea surface). After the twilight zone, at around 3,300 feet, the ocean becomes completely dark, referred to as the midnight zone, and after 13,100 feet it is considered the abyssal zone. If reaching the deep sea is distinct, reaching the twilight zone can be an introduction to an alien world. “I call it the Manhattan of the deep because it’s just filled with life,” Casey says. “It has more marine creatures in it than all the other regions of the ocean combined, and about 80 percent of them can be bioluminescent. It’s this flashing, twinkling, cosmopolis of creatures.”

But there are few options to reach the twilight zone as a traveler. There’s Scott Waters, who owns a submarine company in Tenerife, Spain, and who will bring people who donate to scientific endeavors down to the depths. Waters partners with the Spanish Oceanographic Institution in the Canary Islands and can cater trips according to project and price—a dive off the shore of Tenerife to do microplastics studies costs roughly $1,955, and more expensive trips, like to study climate change in Antarctica or the origins of life at hydrothermal vents, can go up to $54,000. (Says Waters: “The people who want to travel in a submarine are adventurers and explorers who want to make a true impact on science.”) There’s an unconventional pilot in Honduras named Karl Stanley who built his own sub and will take people to a depth of around 2,000 feet. There’s the option of purchasing a private submersible from Triton Submarines , based in Florida, or Norwegian company U-Boat Worx and storing it on a yacht between uses. Then there was OceanGate, which stopped operations after its fatal implosion on a trip to the Titanic wreck in June 2023 with executive Stockton Rush and four passengers onboard.

Before its submersible disappeared, OceanGate was arguably the most high-profile deep-sea tourism company, renowned for its novel technology and Rush’s approach to innovation. The community of submersible enthusiasts is tight-knit, though, and they worried about such a disaster even before investigators announced that the missing craft likely imploded. Stanley raised concerns about OceanGate’s technology after he descended with Rush in 2018, and, as reported by Vanity Fair , The New Yorker , and CNN , several other experts sounded alarms before the incident.

The problem, according to Patrick Lahey, who cofounded Triton Submarines, was that Rush refused to submit OceanGate submersibles to classification. There are a handful of independent, international marine classification companies that audit and ensure a vessel’s safety for its intended depths, including societies like Det Norske Veritas (DNV) that inspected and certified Vescovo’s sub. Getting a sub certified, or classed, is an arduous process that usually involves submitting a vessel to multiple tests in pressure chambers and on descents to depths beyond what it will visit. Because of the details involved, and the fact that there is limited infrastructure for conducting some of the tests (the only pressure chamber big enough to test Vescovo’s sub was in Russia), the process can get expensive quickly. Maintaining classification also takes repeated tests over time; it’s not enough to get classed once.

Strictly speaking, most submersibles don’t fall under classical maritime law since they don’t sail in and out of port—they’re carried on another ship. That means that they’re subject to the laws of the jurisdiction where they operate, which gets murky once they’re 12 miles away from coast in international waters. Insurance companies usually decline to back vessels that aren’t independently classed, but it’s still largely an optional step. For subs that are classed, that undergo the extensive testing and regular review, there is an exceedingly solid track record. “The safety protocols are inviolable. They are sacrosanct,” Casey says. “They’re the center of everything and always have been.”

Many submarines are made of steel, including Stanley’s, or more often, titanium. They can either have a single or double hull, they contain ballast tanks that use water and air to control their buoyancy, and they’re often shaped in a circular or cylindrical shape that best distributes pressure over the entire structure. Subs that are designed to reach the bottom of the ocean have to withstand pressures that reach 15,750 pounds per square inch (PSI); the pressure at sea level is 14.7 PSI. “They really are, to me, magical machines,” says Lahey, who built the titanium submersible that carried Vescovo to the deepest points of all five oceans.

But OceanGate was using a new technology, a carbon fiber hull. The company also said its technology was so advanced and its safety precautions were so assiduous that it exceeded the requirements of any certification process. “The OceanGate sub was an experimental craft, it was an aberration. It did not go through peer review,” says Lahey, who has built two dozen craft for private owners, ranging in price from $2 million to $50 million, and who says he considers submarines to be one of the safest types of vehicle. “We need to insist on certification as a requirement for continued human occupied exploration in the deep sea. I hate the idea that people will be afraid to dive in a sub because of that aberration.”

Like many adventurers, travelers who make the descent to the deep sea have to extend their trust to the systems supporting them. The OceanGate disaster may have showed the cost of exercising that trust on an unproven vessel, but without many rules or regulations in place to govern deep sea tourism, those who want to experience the depths have to use their judgment. Waters’s and Lahey’s subs are classed, as are any submersibles operating within U.S. jurisdiction, for example. But Stanley, who has operated hundreds of dives safely, does not have classification. He tells me he didn’t seek certification because it would have tripled the cost of building his sub. “But I mean, there’s doing things with a bit of common sense and testing and due diligence and having a track record,” he says.

Stanley’s Idabel sub launches from Roatán, an island in Honduras. Idabel is Stanley’s second sub; he began building his first when he was 15 years old, in his parents’ backyard in New Jersey. He brought the sub with him to college in Florida, and after graduation he showed it at a dive show where he met the owner of a resort in Honduras who convinced him to start taking tourists under the water. In the two decades since then, he has dived more than 2,500 times, often transporting three or four people to the deep sea for $1,200 per hour, on trips that last around four hours.

When he was starting out, Stanley told me his passengers were mostly scuba divers who wanted to go deeper than they had been before. Now, it’s engineers at Google and Facebook with disposable incomes who want to experience something rare. “If you have the ability to see with your own eyes the most stable, largest ecosystem on our planet that makes up 90 percent of the living space on the whole Earth, why wouldn’t you?” Stanley said.

A few weeks after the OceanGate disaster, a YouTube travel vlogger with around 482,000 subscribers named Ace visited Stanley in Honduras to go underwater. He filmed himself descending, sitting with a view out the bulbous window. In the video, he chats with Stanley, asking questions about the sub. He gives a shout out to his family. He listens to Stanley’s stories about the longest times spent underwater. At one of the deepest points of the dive, as the sub floats over a neon-studded rock formation, he ogles the strangeness of the view. “Wow. Wow. That’s amazing. Wow. Beautiful,” he says. And then they’re quiet for a few seconds, lingering over the deep.

12 Top-Rated Tourist Attractions in the Red Sea Region

Written by Jess Lee Updated Dec 25, 2023 We may earn a commission from affiliate links ( )

The Red Sea is one of the world's best places to visit for scuba diving , and for decades dive enthusiasts have headed here specifically for a holiday spent mostly underwater.

Today, this coastline has become a major sun-and-sea holiday destination favored as much by families looking for an easygoing beach break at a full-service resort hotel as divers here for the coral and fish life.

Away from the beach, though, there's more to explore. Diving may still be on the top of the things to do list, but the Red Sea has also become a major windsurfing and kitesurfing spot in recent years.

The Eastern Desert stretches across this region, scattered with remnants of Egypt's Roman and early Christian eras. These historic tourist attractions are a great opportunity to get off the beach for a day and discover some of Egypt's history.

Learn more about the best places to visit with our list of the top attractions and things to do in the Red Sea region.

1. Diving or Snorkeling the Red Sea's Famed Sites

2. sunbathe & swim on resort beaches, 3. learn to windsurf or kitesurf, 4. explore st. anthony's monastery, 5. visit st. paul's monastery, 6. day trip to al-quseir, 7. hurghada's souq & marina, 8. el-gouna's resort life, 9. 4wd desert safari to wadi al-gimel, 10. marsa alam's resort life, 11. explore roman-era mines at mons porphyrites & mons claudianus, 12. discover the eastern desert's rock inscriptions at barrameya & wadi hammamat, tips and tours for a red sea holiday, map of things to do in the red sea region.

Diving and snorkeling are the Red Sea region's most popular activities.

For experienced divers, the best dive sites are found off the southern stretch of coast, with the easiest access from Marsa Alam . These "deep south" sites are renowned for their sea life and are your best chance of sighting one of the Red Sea's dugongs.

The dive sites just offshore from Hurghada are among Egypt's most popular, but as well as being overcrowded, their coral reefs have unfortunately suffered damage by both divers and disreputable dive operators.

If you're based in Hurghada, forgo those sites to head farther north on your dive trips into the Straits of Gubal, where you'll find the wreck of the Thistlegorm, one of the world's top wreck dives . Or south, to the dive sites offshore from Safaga, Al-Quseir, or just north of Marsa Alam.

Some of Egypt's best resort life is strung out along the country's long Red Sea coast, north and south of Hurghada.

For many visitors looking for a vacation all about the sun, sand, and sea, this is the number one destination to head during the Northern Hemisphere's winter, when Egypt's Red Sea offers plenty of blue skies and balmy temperatures.

The Red Sea's best beaches are owned (or shared) by resorts and are outside of the major Red Sea towns.

Just 21 kilometers south of Hurghada International Airport, Sahl Hasheesh Bay is one of the top beach destinations in the country. There is a range of resorts strung along the long curve of sand here, including The Oberoi Beach Resort Sahl Hasheesh , with its opulent Arabesque decorated suites within 48 acres of manicured gardens. It's one of the most romantic destination hotels in Egypt.

Closer to Hurghada town, sitting in the resort strip area just south of the center, the Steigenberger ALDAU Beach Hotel is a popular choice for families due to its long strip of beachfront, massive swimming pool covering 5,000 square meters plus a lazy river, water sports center, and spa.

From October through May, the Red Sea's reliable offshore winds have made it a major kitesurfing and windsurfing destination.

The main center for kitesurfing is El Gouna , with several specialist kitesurfing operators in town offering weeklong vacation packages for experienced and beginner kitesurfers.

All operators also offer kitesurfing lessons for travelers who want to try the sport out but don't want to focus their entire vacation on it. A full introductory course generally covers two to three hours of instruction per day for three or four days.

The other Red Sea town known for its water sports is Safaga , 62 kilometers south from Hurghada.

Safaga itself is a rather industrial port town, but the shore just to the north of town has a small resort area dedicated to water sports thanks to the excellent wind conditions. There are windsurfing and kitesurfing operators here, and the small resorts are all centered around these sports.

Founded by devotees of St. Anthony, the father of monasticism, it's claimed that St. Anthony's Monastery is the oldest monastery in the world.

It sits amid barren cliffs, 254 kilometers north of Hurghada. The monastery is situated just below the cave where St. Anthony retreated to follow an ascetic life of prayer and solitude.

Probably starting off life as a small clutch of humble dwellings, the monastery today is surrounded by thick fortified walls erected in the 10th century when monks found themselves frequently under attack from Bedouin raiders.

Inside, vast palm-tree-shaded gardens spread out between caramel-toned mud-brick buildings, where the monastery's monks still live.

The real highlights of a visit here, though, are the wall paintings inside the 6th-century Church of St. Anthony . The interior is covered with vibrantly colored and incredibly well-preserved frescoes of Coptic saints, which are renowned for being among the finest examples of Egyptian Coptic Christian artistry.

For those on a religious pilgrimage, St. Anthony's Cave sits 270 meters up the cliffside above the monastery. This is where the saint spent the last 20 years of his life.

Today, the cave is accessed via a steep staircase that winds up the cliff with glorious panoramas of the monastery and desert setting below.

St. Paul's Monastery (241 kilometers north of Hurghada) is much smaller than St. Anthony's and honors St. Paul the Hermit, who is thought to be the first monk to take up the hermetic life.

The monastery has been functioning since at least the 6th century, when devotees of St. Paul began to flock here on pilgrimages.

Inside the thick medieval fortress walls , neat mud-brick buildings imbue the monastery with a sense of serenity.

Three churches are the main points of interest for visitors here: St. Paul's Church is thought to have been built exactly over the spot where St. Paul led his ascetic life of solitude.

A day trip here is usually combined with a visit to the Monastery of St. Anthony.

Just 146 kilometers south of Hurghada, Al-Quseir is a place apart from the resort-centered towns that dominate the Red Sea region.

Once an important port town in the medieval period, Al-Quseir has managed to preserve its unique coral-block architecture with narrow squiggles of lanes rimmed by colorful crumbling buildings boasting mashrabiya (lattice) windows and painted doors.

A fort sits just behind the old town area, but the real joy of a visit here is simply meandering through the alleyways; checking out the creaky, dilapidated architecture; and enjoying the charming sense that time somehow forgot this jewel of a place.

Egypt's oldest resort center, Hurghada rose to fame for its proximity to the fantastic dive sites just offshore, and what had been a tiny Bedouin settlement has long ago morphed into a bustling city that sprawls across the Red Sea coastline.

Although diving is still central to Hurghada's prominence, this is Egypt's major package-holiday destination , and thousands of European tourists decamp here every winter to escape the cold weather and soak up the sun on one- and two-week cheap package deals.

In central Hurghada town itself, the modern marina area has become a major dining center with plenty of restaurant and café choice.

For shopping, head to Ad Dahar Souq in the evening. This is where you'll find the widest range of local handicrafts and souvenirs in Hurghada. There are also plenty of local cafés offering shisha (water pipe), tea, and thick Arabic coffee in this area.

• Read More: Top-Rated Tourist Attractions in Hurghada

Just 30 kilometers north of Hurghada, El-Gouna plays the role of swish little sister to its aging sibling down the road.

El-Gouna is a completely planned, modern resort town focused on luxury resort living and holiday villa complexes.

There's a golf course, two marinas, and a dozen high-end and mid-range hotels that are fully kitted out to offer water sports and sun-soaked relaxation galore.

El-Gouna is also home to Egypt's only outdoor cinema (which screens movies for free) and the Culturama, which is twinned with Alexandria's Bibliotheca Alexandrina, and offers a multimedia display of Egyptian history, as well as access to the library's vast wealth of ancient manuscripts via the internet.

Deep in the southern reaches of the Red Sea's Eastern Desert, around 336 kilometers south of Hurghada, the Wadi al-Gimel Protectorate is a starkly beautiful landscape that hides the remains of Rome's emerald mines.

The main archaeological site here is Sikait, which was the settlement for the miners sent to extract the precious green stone from the arid mountains.

A small temple dedicated to the goddess Isis sits carved into the rock face surrounded by the crumbling remains of simple stone houses.

Nearby are the ruins of Nugrus , where the actual mine was located, while another two small settlement remains (named Apollonia and Gelil ) lie just a couple of kilometers away and once acted as trading stations.

For those not so interested in the history here, the landscapes are phenomenally beautiful, and a trip into this barren desert of scattered acacia trees and looming, jagged mountains is just as worthwhile for the views as for the archaeological remnants.

The Marsa Alam area is Egypt's most southerly resort destination, stretching down into the isolated south of the country. Marsa Alam is 284 kilometers south of Hurghada.

The coast here is scattered with luxury all-inclusive resorts, interspersed with the odd campsite for those on more of a budget.

For travelers looking to vacation here, it's all about peace, tranquility, and diving, for this is the nearest resort to Egypt's famed Fury Shoals dive sites, which are rated by experienced divers as some of the top dives in the world.

Off the beach and out of the water, Marsa Alam town has few facilities, so unlike Hurghada and El Gouna, which both offer plentiful individual cafés and restaurants, this is a resort area where most guests stick to their hotels.

Mons Porphyrites , 60 kilometers northeast from Hurghada, is an ancient Roman porphyry mine and contains remnants of the mining town where the quarry workers lived while they extracted the purple-hued stone from the rugged mountains of the Eastern Desert.

Greatly-prized by the Romans, porphyry mined here was used in building works throughout Rome's Mediterranean empire.

Although there isn't much left of the once bustling mining town, you can still make out the miners' living quarters , their workshops, and the temples they built amid the scattered ruins.

Mons Claudianus is another Roman mining archaeological site, 65 kilometers southeast from Hurghada.

These two separate mines, signify the Eastern Desert's importance to the Roman Empire.

At Mons Claudianus, miners quarried granite out of the mountainside, which was then used throughout the Roman world. The workers here were all prisoners, and the harsh conditions they lived under can still be imagined in the ruins of their living quarters.

Mons Claudianus also functioned as a fortress guarding the surrounding desert. The ruins, though dilapidated are quite substantial.

Visiting the rock inscriptions of Egypt's Eastern Desert provides some inkling of the deep and ancient history of this area.

This rugged landscape has been crisscrossed by trade routes throughout history.

Wadi Hammamat, along the Qift to Quseir route, and Barrameya are both littered with the evidence of this human history. A 4WD tour of these Eastern Desert areas is an interesting Red Sea excursion for travelers looking to delve into the past.

The rock faces here have been used as a canvas by passing travelers from the Pharaonic era right through to the early 20th centuries, with everything from hieroglyphics to animal scenes depicted in abundance.

Luxor Tours:

• One of the major bonuses of choosing a sun-and-sand vacation on the Red Sea coast is that you're within day-tripping reach of the tombs and temples of Luxor , so you can easily squeeze some Ancient Egypt sightseeing into your sunbathing itinerary. Most of the resorts offer day trips to Luxor.

Where to Stay:

• The Hurghada area is large, with resorts spanning the coast south from the actual town all the way down to Safaga.
• El Gouna is much more compact and is a purpose-built resort town. Marsa Alam is the Red Sea coast's newest resort area.

Activities:

• Water sports such as kitesurfing and windsurfing are offered at many resorts. El Gouna's resorts are generally better equipped for these activities.

More Related Articles on PlanetWare.com

Beach Time: See our article on the Red Sea coast's major town Hurghada for more information on this area and to learn about what to see and things to do. Or, check out our article on Sharm el-Sheikh if you're thinking of spending your beach time in the Sinai Peninsula.

History Day Trip: The Upper Nile's glut of tombs and temples are within day-tripping distance from the Red Sea coast. Take a look at our articles on some of Egypt's most impressive sites, including Luxor , Karnak, and the Valley of the Kings for day trip inspiration.

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The 25 Best Things to Do at SeaWorld Orlando in 2024

It took me years to finally get to SeaWorld Orlando and now that I have been, I am obsessed! I love all the sea life focused things to do at SeaWorld and the tropical atmosphere of the park. If you are hesitant like I was to make time for SeaWorld, this article will prove just why it is a top Orlando experience.

This guide will share all the best things to do at SeaWorld Orlando from thrill rides and shows to animal encounters and festivals. I have divided it up into sections so you can easily figure out your top priorities. Be sure to read on and save this post for a truly unforgettable experience at SeaWorld.

Table of Contents

Best Things to Do for Animal Lovers

First up are the top six animal encounters that I recommend everyone experience at SeaWorld Orlando, especially nature lovers. These exhibits are immersive and provide up close and personal sights to some incredible creatures. Make sure to prioritize time for checking out the following SeaWorld Orlando things to do.

1. Empire of the Penguins

One of the most famous attractions at SeaWorld Orlando is the Empire of the Penguins exhibit and for good reason. Here you can see five species of penguins in their natural, Artic replicated habitat. There is both an ice viewing area where the penguins waddle around and a lower deck so you can see them dive and glide.

These birds have so much personality that I usually spend at least half an hour marveling at them. It’s also a great spot for hot days because they keep the inside at cold temperatures for the penguins. However, this attraction does have a limited capacity and there can be lines. I recommend going in the morning to avoid these, but even if there is a line, it is worth the wait!

2. Pacific Point Preserve

A lesser-known animal attraction I love is the Pacific Point Preserve. This is where the sea lions and harbor seals are located. They play on huge rocks and beg for fish all day, which you can purchase to feed to them. Seeing the dives some of these sea lions make for fish is so impressive! This area is super noisy with their barks and a little smelly, but so entertaining, I rarely notice.

3. Wild Artic

Another one of the SeaWorld things to do that you shouldn’t miss is the Wild Artic exhibit. Here you can see walruses and beluga whales in their artic environment! Both these animals are gentle giants and I love watching them swim around. There are even close-up tours offered for both species if you want to get a special experience with them!

4. Shark Encounter

For an indoor aquarium experience, Shark Encounter is my favorite. This large section of the park has a variety of sharks and other tropical fish. The best part is going on the moving walkway and watching them swim around in the world’s largest underwater viewing tunnel. I find this exhibit to have so much interesting information regarding sharks and their role in the ocean environment as well.

5. Dolphins Cove

I could watch dolphins swim and jump for hours, so Dolphins Cove is a must for me. This attraction has a large space where you can watch dolphins swim and play together. There are also frequent shows where trainers show off how smart these sea mammals are. It never gets old!

6. Manatee Rehabilitation Area

Lastly, you will want to check out the manatee rehabilitation area where SeaWorld has taken in injured or orphaned manatees from throughout the state. These adorable creatures are vulnerable to extinction due to the many risks of being injured by boat strikes and pollution. This exhibit brings awareness to the issues facing manatees while also showcasing the recoveries these manatees are making.

Best Rides for Thrill Seekers

One thing I did not know about SeaWorld is that most of the rides are coasters. Besides a couple of water rides and Sesame Street Land, the main attractions are pretty exhilarating. For those who do not enjoy coasters, there are still a lot of fun things to do at SeaWorld Orlando. But if you are a thrill seeker, prioritize the following rides.

7. Manta Roller Coaster

For a roller coaster experience unlike any other, the Manta Roller Coaster has you laying down while twisting and turning through the track! You are made to feel like a manta ray gliding through the sea and the ride does an amazing job of creating an exciting experience. Because of the restraints required for such maneuvers, you may want to avoid it if you are claustrophobic, but this ride will make any adrenaline junkie’s day!

8. Ice Breaker

SeaWorld Orlando’s newest coaster, Ice Breaker, is another groundbreaking ride. Though you do not go upside down, you do go backward and take some exciting hairpin turns. I love how fast it goes and the views you get with the ricochet part!

Mako was the first SeaWorld coaster I went on and possibly the scariest. Though it does not go upside, this ride is extremely high up and the drops had me screaming bloody murder! If you hate heights, you may want to avoid it, but this coaster is a speed demon’s dream.

For an all-around excellent coaster, the Kraken has something for everyone. This leg-dangling ride has hills, loops, curves, and more. It is another exciting ride in the lineup and worth waiting in long lines for.

11. Infinity Falls

If you don’t mind getting wet, Infinity Falls will give you a thrilling taste of the rapids. This ride features one of the tallest raft drops, as well as surprise twists and turns. There is a large dryer you can use for a fee afterward, but most find this attraction to be as refreshing as it is fun.

Best Attractions for Families

If you are bringing kids too small for coasters to SeaWorld Orlando, do not despair! There are still plenty of fun things to do at SeaWorld for families. This next section focuses on the attractions that will appeal to young kids, although many can be enjoyed by all.

12. Sesame Street Land

By far the most popular part of SeaWorld Orlando for families is the Sesame Street section. This is where you can find kid-friendly rides, playgrounds, and Sesame Street shows. Kiddie rides include a teacup-style ride, a train, a mini coaster, and a carousel. Your little one can even meet some of the Sesame Street characters for an unforgettable experience.

13. Stingray Lagoon

Kids and adults alike will enjoy the touch tanks of Stingray Lagoon where you can see a variety of different rays and pet them as they glide by. I always enjoy watching the Giant Manta Ray which has a wingspan of five feet tall! This interactive attraction is sure to enthuse kids who love sea creatures.

14. Orca Encounter

The Orca Encounter is what SeaWorld Orlando calls the killer whale show where you learn about the Orcas. Though it is amazing to see these creatures jump out of the water, the show is more aimed at kids. Anyone can watch the orcas during the day at the underwater viewing location, but the show is the only place you will see them jump and do tricks. Families should prioritize a show time here, while other guests may only want to check it out if there is extra time.

15. Sea Lion & Otter Spotlight

Another SeaWorld Orlando attraction great for families is the Sea Lion and Otter Spotlight. Here you see some of the tricks that California sea lions and Asian small-clawed otters have learned. Again, it can be fun for all ages, but the show is super corny so I think kids enjoy it more than adults.

16. Jewel of the Sea Aquarium

Aquariums are one of the best things to do at SeaWorld for kids and Jewel of the Sea is especially worth a visit. This is where a variety of jellyfish and tropical fish are on display. It also includes bioluminescent creatures that are especially delightful. This aquarium is the perfect midafternoon spot to cool off indoors and relax.  

Best Things to Do for Holidays

If you get the chance to visit SeaWorld Orlando during a major holiday season, there are even more unique things to do. The park really excels at themed experiences, and you can find lots of new offerings during seasonal events. These next four SeaWorld things to do include the best festival events to plan a visit around.

17. Christmas Celebration

The best time to visit is during SeaWorld’s Christmas Celebration, as they really go all out for the holidays. I was impressed by all the lights, trees, and shows and I think it is a worthy competitor to Disney World’s Christmas experiences . Best of all, these special offerings are included in your ticket! In addition to checking out the other things to do at SeaWorld above, make sure to see the Sea of Trees and the Winter Wonderland on Ice show during the holiday season.  

18. Howl-O-Scream

For a spooky experience , SeaWorld becomes a haunted park after hours in September and October. To visit Howl-O-Scream, you need a separate nighttime ticket. The haunted houses and walk-around characters can be very scary, so it is recommended only for adults. In addition to getting frightened, many of the rides and aquariums will also be open to experience.

19. Seven Seas Food Festival

Rivaling the Epcot festivals , the SeaWorld Seven Seas Food Festival is quickly becoming a local must-do. This event runs from February to May where food booths are set up with different cuisines to try. From Thursday through Sunday only, this event is included in-park tickets, although food and drinks cost extra. However, the live concerts and dance parties add to the celebratory aspect of this event.

20. Summer Spectacular

If you visit SeaWorld Orlando during the summer, you are in for a treat with Summer Spectacular going on. The park tends to be open later and there are fireworks and exciting night shows. In addition to the IGNITE fireworks and fountain spectacular and the electric ocean concerts, there are also DJ parties and nocturnal animal shows to add to the occasion.

Add-On SeaWorld Orlando Experiences

If you are still looking for things to do at SeaWorld Orlando, there are also some add-on experiences that cost extra. By adding on a couple of these activities, you can have a whole SeaWorld-centric vacation. There are even packages that make this cheaper when you bundle hotels and tickets. Here are some worthwhile things to consider adding to your SeaWorld experience.

21. Dine with an Orca

One of the most popular add-on things to do at SeaWorld is the Dine with Orcas show. This is where you get to see a more immersive orca show while you eat lunch. For only $31 for adults and $22 for kids, it is not much more than a regular theme park lunch would cost you. This is a big hit with families, especially during crowded times when you can get a front-row seat to see the Orcas.

22. Go to Aquatica

If you like water parks, SeaWorld has its own right next door. Aquatica is one of the best water parks in the country and has a variety of themed slides and pools to experience. Here you can slide through aquariums, float down a lazy river and ride a family raft. If you are not planning on visiting any other theme parks, I recommend adding a day at this water park to your vacation.

23. Spend a day at Discovery Cove

For a more unique aquatic experience, Discovery Cove offers a taste of SeaWorld luxury. This is a different kind of water park that offers an all-inclusive experience. A one-day pass includes, food, drinks the lazy river, a large pool, and snorkeling. There are also add-ons like a dolphin swim to make it an extra special day!

24. Do a VIP Tour

Another way to level your SeaWorld experience is by doing a VIP tour. This is a way to get a private, guided experience of the park and not have to wait in lines. The Ultimate VIP tour takes you to the front of the line, includes reserved seating at shows, and even adds animal encounters to your day. This is a pretty penny though, with costs starting at $600 per person.

If you are more of a foodie, the Seven Seas VIP Tour can be a deal. It starts at $500 per person but includes eighteen food and drinks per person. With this tour, you also get reserved seating at concerts and front-of-the-line access to rides. It is definitely a splurge but if you plan to spend a lot on food already, it may be worth it.

25. Experience an Animal Encounter

If you have an animal lover in the family, an animal encounter is one of the best things to do at SeaWorld Orlando. There is nothing more exciting than getting to meet your favorite sea creature in person! You can add on either encounters or close-up tours to see penguins, walruses, dolphins, beluga whales, sharks, orcas, and sea lions.

The animal encounters are usually cheaper than the up-close tours but both are fun ways to get close to animals. Prices range from $20 to a $100 add-on. Though it can be expensive for the whole family to participate, it will create memories that last a lifetime!

Know Before You Go: The Best Things to Do at SeaWorld Orlando

No matter what age you are or the interests you have, there is something for everyone at SeaWorld. I hope this blog post helped you determine the best things to do at SeaWorld Orlando for your family. This world-renowned theme park and marine life center is a big attraction in Orlando and worth a visit for locals and tourists. Here are some tips to keep in mind before visiting this theme park.

• To ride the most popular rides at SeaWorld Orlando, you will want to rope drop the theme parks. This means getting there right when the park opens and rushing to the most popular ride. It is the easiest way to have a short wait for popular rides.
• Another alternative is to get in line for a popular ride just minutes before the park closes. They will continue to let people on the ride who were in line at closing, so you can maximize your park time this way.
• If you really want to avoid long lines, most of these rides offer a paid Quick Queue pass to skip the line.
• One other way to cut down on wait times is to ride the single-rider line. These are common on roller coasters and though you have to ride next to a stranger, the line can be much shorter.
• You need a locker for belongings on all the roller coasters. I recommend buying the multi-use day locker for $10 instead of paying for each one as you go.
• For those looking for hotel options, here are my picks for the best theme park hotels to stay at .

What’s your favorite thing to do at SeaWorld? I love seeing the penguins and sea lions! For more tips for an Orlando vacation, be sure to check out my guide to Florida theme parks.

If you need help planning a trip, I am partnered with Kelly’s Magical Vacations and highly recommend her services. Find out more here!

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Best Rides at SeaWorld

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Must-See Attractions at SeaWorld® Orlando

SeaWorld® Orlando  opened its first Orlando theme park in 1973. In the nearly five decades since, it’s expanded to include a water park,  Aquatica® Orlando , and one of the most unique attractions you’ll ever have the pleasure of visiting,  Discovery Cove ® . All three focus on aquatic animals, SeaWorld’s ongoing efforts to protect them — and innovative ways for you to have wondrous adventures you will cherish forever.

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Top 5 Attractions at SeaWorld® Orlando

• COMING SOON: Pipeline: The Surf Coaster
• Ice Breaker™
• Sesame Street Land ™
• Manta ®  

If you’re visiting SeaWorld with younger children, you’ll definitely want to visit  Sesame Street Land ™ . The whole family can also enjoy the SeaWorld Rescue Center, Stingray Lagoon and Dolphin Nursery, among other all-ages attractions.

Boasting four airtime-filled launches — both forwards and backwards — and a reverse launch into Florida’s steepest beyond-vertical launch, Ice Breaker™ is the latest thrilling coaster at SeaWorld, with Pipeline: The Surf Coaster coming in spring 2023. Other pulse-pounding rides include Mako® and Manta®, to name a few.

Finally, don’t forget the park’s last original attraction: the iconic, 400-foot-tall Sky Tower, which provides a gently rotating, 360-degree view of Orlando.

Top 5 Attractions at Aquatica ® Orlando

• Reef Plunge
• Riptide Race
• Tassie’s Twister
• Ihu’s Breakaway Falls  

SeaWorld’s expertise at all things aquatic shines through in their water park, which offers fun rides, up-close animal encounters and pure relaxation. Two of those aspects come together in the all-new Reef Plunge, an incredible tube-slide attraction where you’ll zoom past a dynamic new underwater habitat, that’s home to a vibrant array of marine life.

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You can also splash along nearly 650 feet of slides, when you race family or friends on world’s tallest dueling racer, Riptide Race. KareKare Curl will let you experience the feeling of weightlessness, while Ray Rush gives you three ways to slide, splash and soar. You can also conquer Tassie’s Twisters, or leave the raft behind for free-fall drops on Ihu’s Breakaway Falls.

When you’re ready to slow things down, Cutback Cove and Big Surf Shores are two enormous wave pools with white sandy beaches and lounge chairs. Wading fun for all ages can be enjoyed at Walkabout Waters.

Discovery Cove ®

One of Orlando’s most unique offerings, Discovery Cove is an all-inclusive day resort with both aquatic adventures and tranquil relaxation.

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Several close encounters with exotic creatures can be enjoyed with the Day Resort package, including snorkeling with thousands of fish and rays in The Grand Reef, and wading near the fun-loving otters and marmoset monkeys at Freshwater Oasis. Book a Signature Dolphin Swim package and enjoy an unforgettable experience in the water with these incredible marine mammals.

For an experience of a different feather, mix and mingle with exotic birds at the Explorer’s Aviary. And when you’re ready to relax, grab a lounge chair or cabana at Serenity Bay, or just drift on Wind-Away River.

In addition to breathtaking animal experiences throughout the resort, your day includes breakfast, lunch, and endless snacks and drinks (including beer and wine for guests 21 years and over). Plus amenities like towels, lockers, sunscreen, snorkel gear, wetsuits, free parking and more.

Find Your Adventure at SeaWorld® Orlando

Endless adventures await at SeaWorld Orlando — and Visit Orlando powered by BestofOrlando.com can help you save on admission to all SeaWorld Orlando parks . Take advantage of our free planning tools to discover more ways to enhance your experiences in the Theme Park Capital of the World.

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Rides and Attractions at SeaWorld Orlando

SeaWorld Orlando offers a number of live entertainment options and high-thrill attractions, in addition to several notable animal exhibits. The blend of these elements is what makes SeaWorld such a unique place for families to enjoy. This guide will provide a brief overview of each of the attractions, what to expect from them, and where to find them. 

Ice Breaker 

Ice Breaker is a high-thrill roller coaster that boasts a number of unique movements and combinations, including the steepest vertical drop in Florida.

Infinity Falls

This raft ride is a more adventurous version than most of its kind. With a 1500-foot track and a 40-foot drop, it delivers excitement and thrill to all who dare come aboard. 

Journey to Atlantis 

Guests will explore the lost city of Atlantis in this thrilling water coaster. Prepare to get soaked! Located near Antarctica: Empire of the Penguin. 

Kraken  

Named after one of the most feared mythical sea beasts, Kraken will have you screaming from nearly 150 feet up! Your feet will dangle over SeaWorld Orlando as you move on this high-speed coaster. 

Mako  

Named after one of the fastests sharks in the water, Mako lives up to the hype. This coaster won its category in USA Today’s 10Best poll. This monster steel coaster reaches speeds of 73 miles per hour and a height of 200 feet. 

Manta  

This high-speed coaster takes guests through an experience you won’t likely soon forget. This ride mimics what it would be like to be a manta ray gliding through the ocean. Once guests are buckled in, this unique ride vehicle pivots to put riders on their stomachs, flying through the air head first. 

Flamingo Paddle Boats

For a small fee, guests can upgrade their SeaWorld experience and rent a paddle boat experience. This gives you the chance to view SeaWorld from the lagoon and relax for a few minutes. 

Penguin Trek – Coming in 2024

Embark on this family launch coaster expedition that will take you and your snowmobile through Antarctica across a 3,020-foot track at speeds of 43 miles per hour to ultimately discover a penguin habitat.

Pipeline: The Surf Coaster

A first-of-its-kind thrill that features a dynamic restraint that keeps you secure and simulates wave movement for the ultimate surfer experience on land while reaching top speeds of up to 60 miles per hour and extending up to 110 feet in height.

Sesame Street Land 

Sesame Street has its own collection of rides, attractions, and shows for little ones. For a full listing and description of everything Sesame Street offers, head over to our guide !

The tallest observation tower in Florida, Sky Tower gives guests the opportunity to view SeaWorld Orlando from 365 feet up. 

Antarctica Penguin Encounter 

Five species of penguins are featured in this unique exhibit. Guests can come just feet away from the penguins, and watch them swim up-close. Bring your jacket though – the enclosure mimics the conditions in Antarctica. 

Turtle Trek & Manatee Rehabilitation Area

This walkthrough attraction features a large aquarium where guests can view beautiful sea turtles and manatees. SeaWorld Orlando rescues these animals and gives them a home, sometimes permanently if the animal can’t live on its own in the wild. At the end of the Trek, guests can step into a 360-degree theatre for a short video of a sea turtle’s life – from hatching from an egg to growing into an adult turtle enjoying the ocean. 

Wild Arctic 

This walkthrough attraction brings guests face-to-face with walruses and beluga whales. You’ll find it hard to believe that you’re in Florida when you experience this exhibit. 

Dolphin Theater 

The Dolphin Theater currently houses one of the newest shows at SeaWorld Orlando – Dolphin Adventures! Guests gather here to learn about these beautiful animals, their nature, and what we can do to help protect them. 

Nautilus Theatre

The Nautilus Theatre houses a number of live shows and entertainment. In addition to a few of the well-established shows, this theatre is often where you need to go to see the holiday-specific or seasonal entertainment. 

Shamu Stadium 

Home of the famous Orca Encounter, Shamu Stadium is the flagship attraction at SeaWorld Orlando. Here, guests have the opportunity to learn all about the impressive Orca whale. 

Bayside Stadium 

Bayside Stadium is the go-to spot for many of the nighttime festivities at SeaWorld Orlando. Featuring partially covered stadium seating and a stunning view of the lagoon, fireworks have never looked better. 

Sea Lion and Otter Theater 

Guests learn about California sea lions and Asian small-clawed otters. Through partnership with Pacific Point Marine Conservation Center, SeaWorld Orlando puts on an educational demonstration of these interesting creatures. 

Seaport Theater 

Located near the waterfront, Seaport Theater hosts the delightful show, Rescue Tails. This is an educational presentation of exciting and exotic animals. Here, in the AC, guests of all ages can learn something new about the animals we love. 

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27 Awesome Things To Do on a Cruise on Sea Days

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What to Do on a Cruise on Sea Days

If you’re a new cruiser, you might be wondering what to do on a cruise, and if you’ll be bored on cruise sea days. In my experience, many people who are cruising for the first time are wary of “too many” sea days, and usually more interested in the cruise ports .

Of course, this is completely understandable. Cruising is a great way to visit and see a variety of destinations , all in one trip.

However, sea days are one the best parts of cruising! Since most modern cruise ships have resort-like amenities and some pretty cool activities , there is zero chance that you’ll be bored.

Cruise sea days are amazing for relaxing and fun activities

What to Expect on Cruise Sea Days

Cruises have a combination of days in ports of call and days at sea. On sea days, you can do as much or as little as you want. Typically, there are more activities available on the ship than on port days, so these are great days to keep busy if you like.

Many casual restaurants will be open for lunch. This includes the main dining room, which will have a casual sit down lunch menu available. Many cruisers who enjoy a more leisurely pace on sea days enjoy this.

Cruise ship boutiques are open on days at sea, as is the cruise ship casino.

Planning Your Days at Sea

You can plan what to do on sea days by looking at your cruise planner, often available in paper form or on a cruise line app. You’ll see the various cruise activities, as well as opening and closing hours.

Research your Cruise Ship

It’s also a good idea to do your research your ships before you book your cruise, to see what cruise ship activities are offered.

Some cruise ships have water slides, zip lines, skating rinks, and even race cars. These are great for people who want a more active type of cruise experience.

However, other cruise lines have a quieter environment, and will have fun activities that favor relaxing and rejuvenating.

Cruise Tip: Consider talking with a travel agent for help to decide which cruise ship and cruise line is best for you.

Things To Do on a Cruise During the Day

1. relax by the pool.

If you’re going on a Caribbean cruise or other hot weather destination, you’ll probably spend some time by the pool. What’s great about this is that most cruise ships have at least 2-4 swimming pools, and several hot tubs.

Each pool area will have a different atmosphere and vibe. If you enjoy music, you can find one where a reggae band or DJ plays. If you want a quiet space to read and relax, the adult pool areas are perfect.

Choose the pool vibe you like best, and enjoy!

Cruise tip: On busy ships, get to the pool deck early to find a chair in the best locations.

2. Ziplines, Ropes Courses and Surfing Pools

Some of today’s cruise ships offer amazing, theme park like activities. If you cruise with Carnival, Royal Caribbean, Norwegian Cruise Lines or MSC Cruises, you’ll find some of the most exciting things to do on a cruise!

The newest ships from these family friendly cruise lines cater to those who want an active vacation. If you are concerned about being bored on a cruise, no need to worry!

What exciting things can you do on a cruise?

• Surfing pool
• Ifly by RipCord Diving Simulator
• Ice Skating Rink
• Water slides
• Ropes course

Read next:   15 Coolest Things to do on a Cruise Ship

3. Pool Games

If you enjoy some fun and games, join or watch the pool volleyball games and other antics.

Belly flop, sexy legs contest and more, is what you can find by the main pool on some cruise ships. Other games may be hosted by the cruise activities staff by the pool, and if you love some fun in the sun, you’ll want to check that out.

4. Fitness Classes

Join a fitness class or work out at the gym . I really use my cruise planner for this.

The fitness center will often have some awesome fitness classes, which require you to sign up in advance. So, I head to the gym and put my name down for the classes I really want to attend.

I actually like to pick one activity that I may not have tried before, as it’s a great chance to try out something new, without the commitment. Some examples are Zumba, Cardio Kickboxing, Stretching, yoga, spinning and more.

Please note that some activities are included on your cruise , and others have a small fee.

5. Walk a Mile

One of my favorite things to do on a cruise is to walk or jog on the jogging track. There’s something about going for a morning walk and seeing ocean all around you. You get to breathe the fresh sea air, which I love first thing in the morning.

If you’ve been indulging in the wonderful cruise food and drinks, a little movement goes a long way as well to help avoid weight gain on a cruise .

6. Learn Something New

They say we learn something new every day, and this really can be true on a cruise. If you’ve been wanting to learn origami, napkin folding, or water color painting, classes like this, and more, will be offered.

This is great if you don’t want to spend your days outside in the sun or even if it rains on a cruise . There really are a lot of activities going on inside of the cruise ship as well!

One of the things we like to do is check out some of the speakers. There may be special guests on board, like authors or well known personalities, that will be giving a very interesting lecture.

There was even an astronaut on our last Celebrity Cruise. It was pretty cool!

7. Cruise Port Talk

If you’re visiting a destination for the first time, consider going to the cruise port lecture, which is often held in the ship theater or a lounge. You’ll get some tips about the best places to see as well as information about the cruise port.

We found this especially helpful on our Mediterranean cruise , as it helped us to get orientated and know what to expect, as well as choose shore excursions .

8. Art Auction

The art auction is something that people either love or hate on a cruise . However, if you haven’t attended one yet, don’t knock it until you try it.

This is one of my favorite things to do when it rains on a cruise , which is actually how we first discovered it.

However, you don’t need to wait for rain. Since we found this activity a few cruises ago, we go on sunny days too and use it as an excuse to get out of the heat for a bit.

Some people are avid collectors and really enjoy it. Other people go for the free champagne at the Champagne Art Auction (only on some days). Even if you don’t plan to buy, it’s still a great way to learn about the artists that are featured and their style.

Cruise Tip: Attend the champagne art auction and enjoy some free sparkling wine with your art talk.

9. A Bridge or Galley Tour

If you’re interested in cruise ship facts and the work that goes on behind the scenes, you’ll love the behind-the-scenes tours available on a cruise. There are usually free galley tours , where you can see how the food is prepared for thousands of cruise passengers at a time.

Other tours include a backstage tour where you can meet the singers and dancers, and even a cruise ship bridge tour. The bridge tour is very popular, so make sure to sign up as soon as possible if you’d like to participate. This has an additional fee on most cruise lines.

Read more:   What to Do on a Cruise Immediately After Boarding

10. Get a Massage

Why not book a massage or other treatment at the spa on a sea day during your cruise? Consider a couples massage or a week long pass at the thermal spa. Whether you’re in need of some self-care or looking for a romantic activity on a couples cruise , cruise ship spas are know to be amazing!

Cruise Tip: Your cruise ship will often have promotions if you sign up on embarkation day . It’s a smart and easy way to save money on your cruise .

Recommended:   10 Romantic Things for Couples to Do on a Cruise Vacation

11. Kid’s Camp

Cruises are amazing family vacations, and most cruise lines have kid’s clubs where your children can do activities and hang out with new friends.

If you’re cruising with kids , make sure to choose a cruise line that has activities that your children will enjoy. This way, you have a perfect vacation for both the adults and kids.

Are you cruising with kids ? Encourage them to attend the kids club where they will make friends and participate in fun activities.

A cruise is a perfect place to have a balanced family vacation, where there can be kid time, adult time, and family time all within the same holiday.

Cruise tip: Register and visit the kid’s camp during open house on the  first day of your cruise . They’ll be more comfortable and more likely to want to attend activities later in the cruise.

12. Traditional Cruise Games (shuffleboard, table tennis & mini-golf)

Cruises offer some simple and fun things to do as well. Play a game of miniature golf, table tennis or shuffle board. These traditional fun activities are fun for cruisers of every age!

Bingo remains one of the most popular and well-attended cruise activities! I’m not a Bingo player, but wow, there are enthusiastic BINGO players on-board.

There are great prizes, including winning a free cruise. So, if you’re a BINGO lover, make sure to attend.

14. Karaoke, Flash Mobs & Choirs

If you have a singing or dancing talent, keep an eye on your cruise planner for the ship’s choir, flash dance mobs and kareoke competitions. Princess Cruises even has The Voice of the Ocean game show, where cruise passengers participate in a high production singing competition.

15. Game Shows & Trivia

Cruise ships will have interesting trivia activities as well as fun game show style audience participation games. From XBox challenges to the Dating Game, there will be something fun to do on your cruise vacation.

Get The Ultimate Cruise Planner

Regular price: $27 now just $17.

16. Cruise Food

Is eating cruise food really a cruise activity? I think so!

On sea days, you’re not in rush to get off the cruise ship, so treat yourself to one of the alternative dining options. You can have a lunch in the Main Dining Room, go to a specialty restaurant or even head over to one of the included restaurants like Princess Cruises Alfredo’s .

Don’t forget the soft ice cream, afternoon tea, poolside grill, taco bar and more!

Related post:   How NOT to Gain Weight on a Cruise (and still eat and drink)

17. Duty Free Shopping

While on a cruise, there are many opportunities to shop and get a great deal. Cruise ship shopping is duty-free , so while you should still check pricing back home, we’ve found truly amazing deals on watches, jewelry  and perfumes.

In addition to the on board shops, you’ll often see pop-up sales of 10$ items, beachwear, costume jewelry and more.

Cruise tip: Take a chance and fill out a raffle ticket and you just may win something at the cruise shops. My mother won a pair of stunning Crown of Light diamond earrings when we did a large family cruise for their 50th anniversary .

Related post: 50 Most Recommended Amazon Cruise Essentials

18. Have a Cocktail

There’s something about sitting back on a lounge chair with a frozen cocktail in hand that just says “I’m on a cruise”. If you’ve got a drink package, you might want to do some bar hopping and find out which are the best drinks on the cruise ship!

Cruises will often have a Drink of the Day, which is also a great way to try out some new cocktails or mocktails.

Related posts:

Princess Plus: What’s Included and Is it Worth it?

Celebrity Cruises Always Included (what is included)

Norwegian Cruise Line Beverage Package – Is it Worth it?

19. Go Dancing

Whether it’s the Harlem Shuffle or the Cha Cha Slide, line dancing by the pool is just one of the fun things to do on a cruise. I love it, but if you don’t, you may enjoy some people watching instead.

Other opportunities to dance include participating in dance lessons in one of the clubs or atrium. Whether it’s ballroom, salsa or hip hop, your cruise ship will likely have something fun to learn and try.

20. Take Photos & Memories

Cruise ships are great places to take photos. You can get a photo with the cruise ship’s wake in the background or take a family photo on the elegant staircase in the ship’s atrium.

You can also take single photos or book a session with the ship’s photographer. This is especially nice for family cruises . Photos really are a keepsake that helps to keep precious memories alive in years to come.

This inspirational cruise travel quote by Katie Thurmes says it best “We take photographs as a return ticket to a moment otherwise gone” .

21. DIY Cruise Ship Art Tour

Check out the cruise ship’s artwork and themed venues. Cruise ships have really interesting paintings, photography and sculptures displayed around the ship, including on passenger decks, in stairways and in different bars and lounges.

On a sea day, why not get some steps in and walk around the ship and admire all the incredible works of art on board.

22. Book Your Next Cruise

If this is your first cruise , you may be surprised to hear that booking your next cruise on board is a great hack to save money . Just head over to the Future Cruise Consultant desk and have a chat about your next cruise possibilities.

You can put down a deposit on a future cruise, or even work with your travel agent when you get back home to finalize details.

23. Wine Tasting

During your cruise, you may want to enjoy a wine-tasting event. For a small charge, you can have a mini-course in wine-tasting while you sip and savor. For those that prefer scotch, rum or other types of alcohol, you may find those tasting workshops as well.

We’ve done a couple of wine-tasting events on past cruises, and enjoyed what we learned.

The casino is pretty popular on sea days, with those that would rather stay out of the sun, having some fun in there. Whether you’re a serious player, or like to have fun at the slots, the casino is THE PLACE TO BE.

25. See a Show

Cruise ships have the best shows! Truly, the entertainment is incredible and well worth it.

If you’re a mega cruise ship, they’ll usually have several show times to accommodate all their guests. You can check your cruise planner, or in some cases you can even book your shows online before your cruise.

Related post:   What To Wear on a Cruise Vacation

26. Catch a Movie

Cruise ships will show movies in the theater, lounges and even on a big screen outdoors. There’s nothing like seeing a movie under the stars, with some popcorn, while at sea!

On a cruise over the Christmas holidays , there were several classic Holiday movies playing all week – such fun!

27. Relax & Enjoy

While this post was about all the best things to do on a cruise, especially on sea days, it’s sometimes great to do nothing at all. The simple things might just be the times you really enjoy.

What else can you do on a cruise?

I could probably list 27 more cruise ship activities, but here are just a few simple and fun things to add:

• Read a book
• play a board game with friends
• have a cocktail
• make new friends
• take a nap in the sun
• hang out in the hot tub.

No matter what you choose to do, remember that you’re on a cruise to explore, relax, have fun, recharge and reconnect with those you love. Enjoy every minute!

Video: What to Do on Cruise Sea Days

Take a look at our YoTube video all about what to do on a cruise during sea days. You’ll see actual videos from a cruise ship with tons of great cruise activities to enjoy!

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Recap: 27 Fun Things to do a Cruise Sea Day

Sea days can be some of the best days, and with so much to do on a cruise! Whether you like to be active, or find something quieter to do, there are tons of awesome cruise activities to keep your entertained.

What are your top things to do on a cruise? If you’re cruising for the first time, please feel free to ask any questions in the comments below.

Happy Cruising!

If you’ve found this helpful, don’t keep it to yourself ;-)! Please share it on Facebook or save it for later on Pinterest (share buttons at the top of the post). Thank you!

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10 Comments

Miniature golf!

Great one! That’s such a classic and always fun!! Thanks for sharing this.

I like on board driving range. Wack 100 or so golf balls in an hour. Work on your game.

Great idea Russell!

Thanks for the great idea!

Wow- sounds like a cross between a planet fitness and a retirement community. Gonna be a long 5 days.

Lol, I literally laughed out loud. Every cruise ship has different things to do, or you can also relax. I hope that the cruise ship you’ll be taking has the activities or amenities that you’ll enjoy (and it will be better than you think).

Thanks for your comment!

Just had my Alaska cruise canceled. Found out I have prostate cancer. (Found early) Make sure you have your husband Frank has his checked. Go Dr. May 11 to see all test results and get an action plan. Maybe book on in November. Just wanted to reread your post. My favorite thing to do is afternoon time with my wife. Thanks for what you do. Even though we have never meet, I consider you my friend. Take care of yourself and those who you love.

Hi Russell,

Firstly, so glad for you that this was found early. Right now, your health is where your focus needs to be, but you have cruises to look forward to soon after. I’ll also let Frank know and appreciate you sharing.

Take care and keep in touch and let me know how you are doing!! Ilana

Thank you for ^This^. I am hoping to talk my other half into dancing lessons, though he and I are both hoping for cooking demonstrations.

That’s a lot of fun! Almost everyone who joins is a “beginner” or at least not an expert, so this is a great way to learn and enjoy. The cooking ones I’m sure will be awesome.

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11 Beautiful Seaside Towns On The Black Sea

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• Destinations

With a surface of 168,500 square miles, the Black Sea is the world’s largest inland body of water. Stretching between Europe and Asia, the Black Sea is fed by such important rivers as the Danube, Dnieper, and Don. Its coast is bordered by six countries: Bulgaria, Georgia, Russia, Romania, Turkey, and Ukraine. Each country features beautiful seaside towns attracting countless visitors each year because of the beaches, historical sites, forests, and mountains as well as great cuisine, different from one country to another. The water body is named “Black” not because it’s dirty but from a sailor’s point of view. During severe winter storms, the water looks so dark that it appears black.

There are various ways to explore and discover the charm of the Black Sea. You can go on one of several small ship Black Sea cruises , visit parts on Danube river cruises , or visit the countries on its coast individually. Whichever method you choose, today we’ll introduce you to the most beautiful seaside towns, listed by country. We have left out Russia and Ukraine because of difficult visa requirements, but there is plenty left to enjoy.

The Turkish Black Sea coast , divided into a western and an eastern section, is famous for its lush green forests, wooden houses, beaches, mountains, fruit orchards, and tea plantations. Summers are much cooler than in the rest of the country, which makes it attractive to Turkish families, so you will have a good chance to rub shoulders with the locals. None of the seaside towns are ever overcrowded; beach amenities can be rather basic, but it’s a paradise for adventurous travelers and lovers of nature and history.

Trabzon is the largest city on Turkey’s Black Sea coast and an ideal starting point for further exploration, as it has an airport with terminals for national and international flights. It is also an important port town and features several pretty beaches, the best being Camburnu Plaji.

Trabzon is the birthplace of Sultan Suleiman the Magnificent, under whose rule (1521-56) the Ottoman Empire was at its most prosperous. It’s a pleasure to stroll through the narrow streets of the old town or to walk in the green Meydan Park. St. Anne’s is the oldest church, but there are many more mosques and churches to visit. A highlight that should not be missed is a day trip to the stunning Sumela Monastery. At about one hour inland and glued to a steep cliff, the monastery is reached via a picturesque road that leads through dense woods, valleys, and along streams, and ends at a car park. From there you have about half an hour’s steep and a bit slippery walk to reach the entrance. Best is an organized trip.

Unye is a small but well-loved Turkish beach resort in the Ordu province at approximately 500 miles from Istanbul. You can drive, go by coach, fly, or go on a combined flight/ferry trip . In pretty Unye, beaches meet forests, especially the Asarkaya Forest and Uzunkum and Feneralti beaches. The beaches are a bit pebbly, but the water is turquoise clear.

The town is famous for stonemasonry and boasts many traditional stone-and-wood Black Sea houses. It’s also the only place on the Turkish Black Sea coast where you can hire a horse at the Equestrian Center. Hellenistic rock tombs are frequently found throughout Turkey, but here you can have your first glimpse.

Located on the northern edge of the Turkish Black Sea, Sinop is the birthplace of Diogenes. Visit his statue, where he stands on top of a barrel, an illuminated lamp in his hand with which he is searching for an honest man. Massive city walls run throughout, interspersed with seven towers giving you a splendid view over the city and sea. Walk along the sheltered harbor, and have a break in one of the many tea rooms to enjoy a glass of fragrant Turkish tea. Forty-five minutes outside the city, you find Erfelek Tatlica Selaleleri Tabiat Parki, a park with no less than 28 waterfalls.

Ordu is a port town and famous as the center of hazelnut production and mulberry tree plantations. In fact, a quarter of the world’s hazelnuts come from here. Boztepe is a hill overlooking the town and port, reached by either gondola or the Boztepe Hill aerial tram.

What hazelnuts are for Ordu, tea is for Rize . Located approximately 50 miles east of Trabzon, the small town of Rize is the center of Turkey’s tea production. Tea plantations cover every hill, making it a pretty, green landscape. The beauty is that several tea plantations have their own production places where you can see every stage of the process, from harvesting to drying to packaging. They also sell the most amazing array of products, such as tea soap and tea cologne, which is very fresh smelling and makes a great change from the ever-present lemon cologne.

Editor’s note: Intrigued by the area? Here’s Inka with nine reasons you’ll love visiting Turkey’s Black Sea coast .

Although neighbors, Turkey and Bulgaria are very different. The influence of communism is still evident in Bulgaria, especially in the buildings. But the seaside towns have been modernized and are now prettier than ever.

If you haven’t heard of the Gold of Varna, this refers to one of the world’s most important gold treasures, 6,000 years old and discovered in a burial site. But it also refers to the many golden beaches that make the port town of Varna such a beautiful seaside resort. But there is a lot more to entertain you. The Sea Garden is a huge park and promenade along the waterfront, with palm trees and flowers to cool off in on a hot day. The aforementioned gold treasure can be admired in the Varna Archaeological Museum , whilst the shining copper domes of late 19th century Varna Cathedral will attract your attention as well.

Nearby is a natural phenomenon that has to be seen to be believed. The Stone Forest , found in the only piece of desert in Bulgaria, consists of huge, hollow, natural stone columns. The stone needles along the river shore are equally eye catching. And for light entertainment, there is an Amusement Park.

7. Nessebar

For me, Nessebar is the best of Bulgaria’s seaside towns. The whole town is an open-air museum with the sea in the background. A UNESCO World Heritage Site, the Thracian settlement that was once an important trade center sits on a small, rocky peninsula, reached via a narrow causeway. This leads you straight into a maze of cobbled streets, along medieval and Roman walls, past churches and 18th- and 19th-century wooden houses. Take your time and explore the Roman ruins, the Hagia Sofia church, and all the other testimonies of thousands of years of history. The wooden Black Sea houses lean precariously into the streets, whereas the ground floors are occupied by restaurants, cafes, and shops selling handmade souvenirs. Nessebar’s history is trade, and it was here that the world’s first gold coins were made.

If you want a beach, head to nearby Sunny Beach . The beach is beautiful, but the rest is just a resort with apartment blocks, hotels, casinos, fast food, and strip joints. Much like Albena, which is only 20 miles from Varna.

Romania , which has a border with Bulgaria, is known for the forested region of Transylvania, connected to the Dracula legends. Its Black Sea coast is not very long, but it is one beautiful seaside town.

Located on a strip of land between the Black Sea and Lake Siutghiol, Mamaia is a destination for beach enthusiasts. The best time to visit the soft and sandy beaches, ideal for swimming, snorkeling, and vacations with kids, is between June and late September. You’ll find bed and breakfasts and hotels for all budgets, and for entertainment, there is the Aqua-Magic waterpark or the Mamaia Cable Car.

Georgia is bordered by Turkey in the south and in great part dominated by the Caucasus mountain range, although the landscape varies greatly, from rainforest and swamps to snow-covered mountains and glaciers. There are several seaside resorts on the Black Sea coast that attract many visitors. Tourism is a growing industry in Georgia.

Batumi is the biggest seaside resort in Georgia, with lots of modern hotels. The beaches are pebbly. Only 35 miles north, in Ureki, will you find sandy beaches, but they are black. Batumi has a lot more to offer than beaches. There is a wonderful beach promenade with many quirky sculptures along the way, as well as colorful murals. The local market, with fresh and fragrant products, is a delight, as is the Batumi Botanical Garden . Look out for the tower of the university, which has a little Ferris wheel incorporated up high. Even the McDonald’s has flowers growing on the roof. Stroll through the narrow streets of the old town where people while the time away and laundry flutters across the street. Batumi loves art and is reinventing itself all the time.

10. Anaklia

Located in west Georgia where the river Enguri empties into the Black Sea, Anaklia is a modern resort with the usual array of hotels. The resort is connected to the village of Ganmukhuri by a 1,771-foot pedestrian bridge across the river. On a clear day, the Caucasus can be seen in the distance. The area between the sea and mountains is flat and very fertile, which is why you will see tea plantations and citrus orchards here.

11. Grigoleti

If you are after a really quiet beach vacation with kids, Grigoleti is the place to go. Access to the water is shallow, the sand is fine but black, and there are neither beach bars nor sun loungers. Bring your own towels and a picnic and enjoy the sun (it’s one of the warmest places on the entire Black Sea), the scent of dense pine forests bordering the beach, peace, and quiet.

Further Reading:

• 10 Best Sea Glass Beaches In The World
• 5 Charming Small Towns To Visit Along The Oregon Coast
• Sofia, Bulgaria: 6 Incredible Things To See And Do

For the past eleven years, blogger and traveler Inka Piegsa Quischotte has been documenting her adventures over at her blog GlamourGranny Travels . Inka loves to write about luxury and solo travel, mostly to places where the sun shines. She has lived in London, Miami, and Istanbul for several years, and now makes her home in Spain's Costa Blanca.

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the world is YOUR CAMPUS

Discover a global perspective for the challenges of tomorrow with a study abroad experience like no other.

Set Sail on the World’s Most Unique Floating College

Semester at Sea’s passenger ship brings together college students with learners at all stages of life to study with world-renowned professors in a shipboard classroom setting and in countries around the globe. With the ship as your home, you’ll find adventure, community, and life-changing experiences everywhere you go.

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What Is Semester at Sea?

Global Experience

Visit 10+ countries around the world in a uniquely comparative environment that provides a truly global perspective.

College Credit

Earn a full semester’s worth of course credit from a world-class university, with the rigorous curriculum you need to accomplish your academic goals.

Shipboard Life

Enjoy the comfort and community of a floating home away from home, no matter where in the world your voyage takes you.

Experiential Learning

Develop a deeper understanding of the world through onboard and in-country learning opportunities that connect the classroom to the communities you visit.

Become a Citizen of the World

Unlike traditional study abroad or tourism experiences, Semester at Sea opens the door to deep, authentic engagement with countries and cultures across the globe. It’s more than just the adventure of a lifetime. It’s a transformative experience that will give you a global perspective to take on the challenges of tomorrow.

Destinations

Experience life in more countries than any other academic program.

Develop a comparative understanding of global cultures.

Nautical Miles

Go the distance aboard a ship built for living and learning.

Days of Travel

Spend your semester exploring the world.

September 09 — December 22

Ghana Hong Kong India Mauritius Morocco Mozambique Netherlands Portugal South Africa Thailand Vietnam

January 05 — April 20

Germany Ghana India Kenya Malaysia Morocco Mozambique South Africa Spain Thailand Vietnam

Who is Semester at Sea for?

Gap year students, undergraduate students, recent college graduates, faculty & staff, the semester at sea difference.

Building true global understanding with a unique combination of academic rigor, immersive in-port experiences, and a transformative shipboard culture.

Top academic leaders share their knowledge through in-class and hands-on curriculum.

Immerse yourself in cultures around the world through academic Field Classes, structured Field Programs, or plan your own travel.

Build relationships that last a lifetime as part of a diverse community of learners.

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The experience that I had on Semester at Sea was brought to life by the amazing crew, faculty, and students on board. All the people I’ve met and all the things I’ve seen and learned during my voyage has changed my life. I will be forever grateful for the semester I decided to study on a floating campus and have the world as my classroom.

There are really no words to describe Semester at Sea. You come back from your voyage a changed person. It might be the cultural experiences or just the life long friends that you make. SAS really was the best semester of my college experience.

Semester at Sea was hands down the best experience of my life. There truly is no better way to learn than gaining hands on experience around the world! From the classes and field labs, to the life long friendships I made, SAS pushed me out of my comfort zone and helped shape me into the person I am today! I will forever be grateful for this amazing experience!

Semester at Sea quite literally saved and changed my life. It brought me countless opportunities, experiences, and challenges that really pushed me to grow as a person. Even though it was amazing visiting all of the countries, life at sea was just as important because that is where my community was created and where I made my best friends for life. In fact, we have already had a SAS reunion! Thank you Semester at Sea for such a life changing experience!

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Stunning Places Around the Black Sea You Need to Check Out

Sightseeing

One of the most underrated regions in the world, the Black Sea is mainly frequented by tourists from Eastern Europe and Russia, rarely visited by people living outside of the surrounding region. Full of underrated seaside resorts that circle around the coast and beaches of the Black Sea, this area is perfect for those wanting a beach holiday without a hefty price tag or crowds that are often drawn to popular towns along the Mediterranean.

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Amasra, Turkey

Varna, bulgaria, odessa, ukraine, uzungöl, turkey, sozopol, bulgaria, mamaia, romania.

Photo by Koray Bektas/Shutterstock

With most of the Black Sea surrounded by Turkey, it's no surprise there's a wealth of beautiful Turkish towns and beaches encompassing this region. Amasra is one of the most picturesque however, with the seaside town sprawled over several islands stretching from the coast. The town has a long history, with several structures dating back to the Roman and Byzantine periods.

Photo by The World in HDR/Shutterstock

For most people, Bulgaria doesn't usually come to mind when picturing a relaxing summer vacation. However the country has some of the most beautiful beaches along the coast of the Black Sea that are well developed for tourism. Varna is the gateway to Bulgaria's Black Sea coastline and even the city's beach is never really crowded, popular with Bulgarians and some Eastern Europeans, the city rarely sees many tourists from outside the region. For even more peace and quiet, there are numerous beaches and resorts along the coast within a short drive from Varna.

Photo by Artem Kniaz/Shutterstock

The perfect city and beach getaway around the Black Sea, Odessa dotted beautiful 19th century architecture along with plenty of stunning beaches, a short journey from the city. The city is full of history stemming from the Ancient Greek settlement there in the 6th century BC to the revolutions in the early 20th century, Odessa has been host to a number of historic events.

Photo by MuamerOsmanbegovic/Shutterstock

It might not be a seaside town on the Black Sea but Turkey's Uzungöl is spectacular enough to take the short journey from the coast to get here. This stunning lakeside town is set in the midst of a mountain valley with beautiful views of the mountains beyond. Similar to somewhere in the midst of the Swiss Alps, Uzungöl has clear Turkish characteristics with mosques and Turkish buildings dotted around the town. It's also much less popular than similar places in Switzerland, offering incredible scenery and hiking trails without the crowds.

Photo by Victor Lauer/Shutterstock

Another of Bulgaria's picturesque seaside resorts, Sozopol is reminiscent of the popular Croatian town of Dubrovnik, which is usually crowded thanks to several TV shows and movies filming there. Sozopol is much less crowded however, mostly frequented by local Bulgarians rather than international tourists. The town itself is beautiful, with its white-washed buildings and orange roofs, along with the beautiful beaches a stone's throw from its streets. From here it's also an easy drive to 'Sunny Beach', Bulgaria's longest stretch of golden sands, an eight-kilometer beach along the banks of the Black Sea.

Photo by Calin Stan/Shutterstock

Wedged between the Black Sea and Lake Siutghiol, Mamaia is a long thin stretch of beachfront that extends eight kilometers from the Romanian city of Constanța. For the history lovers, Constanța is Romania's oldest city, dating back to 600 BC. Those that just want to lounge all day on golden sandy beaches can head to one of the many resorts and private clubs that cover the coastal area.

The regions around the Black Sea offer a seemingly endless list of beautiful destinations, beach resorts, historic cities and incredible scenery. If you're looking for a Mediterranean holiday without the price tag, resorts around the Black Sea beaches are much cheaper and budget friendly, some places even distinctively less crowded too.

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Cape May County Report Indicates “New Normal” in Tourism Industry

By DONALD WITTKOWSKI and MADDY VITALE

Cape May County’s tourism industry remains a multibillion-dollar colossus attracting millions of visitors, but there are concerns about a slowdown in business that could represent the “new normal” in years to come.

Tourism spending in Cape May County rose by 4.1 percent in 2023 to $7.7 billion, compared to $7.4 billion in 2022. In another major sign of growth, the number of tourists increased by 1.8 percent to nearly 11.6 million visitors in 2023 compared to 11.4 million in 2022, according to a newly released report.

“When you take into consideration that the population of New Jersey is 9.2 million, that is a very impressive number,” Cape May County Tourism Director Diane Wieland said of the 11.6 million visitors.

Overall, Cape May County ranked second in visitor spending among New Jersey’s 21 counties in 2023. Atlantic County, fueled by Atlantic City’s casinos, retained its traditional place as the top tourism draw in the state.

For 2023, Cape May County saw increases across all sectors and outpaced all other counties in the categories of food and beverage, retail and recreation, the county’s Department of Tourism revealed in a new report unveiled during a Cape May County Chamber of Commerce conference on Thursday.

Despite the increases in tourism overall, the report pointed to a slowdown in business in 2023 compared to the 11.9 percent level of growth in 2022. Heading into the summer of 2024, the report questioned whether slower growth represents a “new normal” for the tourism industry in years to come.

“Normal is the watchword for 2024 and, unfortunately, will include a continued slowdown like 2023. The ‘new normal’ will be a mix of recovery, innovation, and adaptation. The same old, same old will not bring visitors back or attract new ones,” the report concluded.

“Tourism has proven to be resilient, and the slowdown is not a sign of a weakened industry but an indicator of its strength as things begin to correct itself. Getting back to ‘normal’ will end up being something very different from the (pre-2020) pandemic ‘normal,’ and we are not there yet,” it added.

Wieland noted in an email Friday that the tourism industry was faced with a few challenges in 2023, including one being the end of “revenge travel.”

“That is the reference to the high number of travelers that took vacations after the COVID lockdowns. After 2021 and 2022 the pent-up demand seemed to be satisfied and travelers were not as anxious to get away. New travel trends have emerged and while travelers are still planning to take vacations, they are exchanging ‘stuff’ for experiences and are conscious of their footprint when planning their vacation,” Wieland explained.

One concerning trend for tourism in Cape May County are reports of vacation reservations being behind previous years, the report said.

In another trend, technology and demographics are major factors reshaping the tourism industry.

“Technology is shortening the lead time for booking a vacation with the average time for reservations is 2-3 weeks out. While baby boomers tend to reserve farther, 2-3 months out and prefer human contact, online bookings continue to grow among younger vacation planners. Apps are the preferred tour guide for those seeking new experiences,” according to the report.

Wieland said the economy has also affected discretionary spending in the tourism industry. Overall, 47 percent of the visitors to Cape May County indicated in a survey that the uncertain economy has forced them to change vacation plans.

In addition, 60 percent of the survey’s respondents said they reduced their vacation spending in 2023. This will likely be the same for 2024, with 48 percent indicating that the economy will impact their 2024 vacations, Wieland pointed out.

However, Cape May County officials remain optimistic overall for tourism in the future based on the county’s strengths and attractions.

Wieland, for instance, noted that road trips are on the rise and Cape May County fits well within that trend as a “drive to” destination. There are 30 million people with a 300-mile radius or a tank of gas away, she said.

Cape May County offers pristine beaches, lush natural areas, diverse landscapes and a rich cultural heritage. The tourism report points to many opportunities for new adventures and a return to favorites, from beach escapes, nature-based activities, local culture and camping retreats.

The county fits into the emerging travel trends and can offer the 2024 traveler much of what they are looking for in a destination, the report says. Local culture or “local love” can be found throughout the Jersey Cape as visitors are looking for a welcoming and cozy feel with authentic experiences, local culture, charm and the warmth offered by family-owned businesses.

Among the top attractions in Cape May County that draw visitors year after year are the beaches, the boardwalks, shopping and restaurants. Other attractions include the Cape May County Park & Zoo, birding, cultural and historic attractions, eco-friendly activities such as nature walks and hikes, water sports, camping, wineries, breweries and distilleries and farm markets.

While overall trends continue toward the growing popularity of the road trip to the shore, there is also a desire among tourists to bring the family pets along. Cape May County has thought of that and there are pet-friendly accommodations in shore destinations to include dogs or cats to come along for the vacation, the report says.

The entire Cape May County Tourism Impact Report follows at  http://ocnjdaily.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/05/2024-Tourism-Economic-Impact-Report.pdf

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