Overnight stays offer deeper immersion in excursions

If you’ve ever sailed on a cruise, you know there’s no grace period from the ship leaving the dock. But on a recent cruise, it was nearly 5 p.m. when I was heading out on my first shore excursion.

I caught an evening show at San Francisco’s magic speakeasy The Magic Patio and when I returned to the port, Princess Cruises’ Discovery Princess ship was lit up for the evening, glowing in the Bay.

The sight was a rarity because we’d normally be sailing away by that time, our host explained over the bus’ loudspeaker. But that night, the ship served less as a means of transportation than a floating hotel during our two-day visit.

While many cruises stop only for a day, some itineraries include overnight stays that give guests more time to explore and see destinations from a new vantage point.

“One of the common gripes for cruising is you don’t really get to experience the destination if you’re only there for X number of hours,” said Jared Feldman, owner of travel agency Jafeldma Travel. “The cruise lines’ answer to that is, ‘Well, let’s stay overnight.’ ”

What are the benefits of overnight cruising?

For starters, travelers don’t have to feel rushed to return to the ship before it leaves. “You’re able to really experience what the port has to offer in terms of nightlife,” Feldman said.

Tillie and Joseph L. James Jr., luxury travel advisers who co-own Tillie James Travel, said longer stays allow them to arrange unique experiences for their clients, like private museum tours or dinners at local restaurants. Cruise lines may offer nighttime excursions as well.

Some activities may be even better after dark, like perusing Christmas markets.

Those kinds of stops are becoming easier to find, too, according to Feldman. He noted an uptick in itineraries featuring overnights over the past two or three years.

Do I have to stay on the cruise ship during an overnight stay?

Not necessarily. Feldman said cruise ships typically leave the gangway open all night for guests. “You can come and go as you please,” he said. “And if you want to go out and, let’s say, party until 3 in the morning, you can do that and then come back.”

You can sleep in without missing out, too. Most ships also don’t leave for their next destination until late afternoon or evening, giving passengers nearly a full second day in port.

What cruises have overnight stays?

Travelers are more likely to find overnights on itineraries that feature “some of your larger destinations where there’s just so much to do, people want to get immersed,” Feldman said, like Athens, Rome or Southampton, England.

Some lines market their sailings with a particular focus on overnight stays, he added, such as Princess, Azamara, Silversea Cruises and Regent Seven Seas Cruises. Longer itineraries, like world cruises that can sail for months at a time, may also feature more overnights as they have more time to fill.