One of the things I find most surprising about cruising isn’t the food, entertainment or destinations — it’s how well I sleep when I am onboard.

I regularly sleep better on cruise ships than I do at home, and I’m definitely not the only one.

Many cruisers talk about how they fall asleep faster, sleep more deeply, and wake up feeling more rested than at home.

Others talk about how they get into the habit of taking afternoon naps, which they would never normally do!

The Gentle Movement Of The Ship

The subtle rocking movement of cruise ships can feel incredibly relaxing.

Modern cruise ships move far less than people expect.

The movement is usually quite gentle, and your body quickly adapts to it.

It can feel a bit like being rocked to sleep, or that gentle movement when you are travelling in a car or train.

A sort of “white noise” for your body and mind, if you like.

Many people actually miss the motion once they get home.

After longer cruises, some passengers still feel a “rocking” sensation after disembarking.

This happens because your brain adapts to constant movement at sea and then suddenly has to re- adjust to solid ground.

The medical term for feeling like you are still moving when you are no longer on the ship is “Mal de débarquement syndrome” (MdDS), which is something I had never heard of!

Cruise Cabins Are Surprisingly Dark

Cruise cabins are mostly very dark at night. If you are sailing, there is normally nothing outside the window but the sea.

Most cabins are quiet – unless you are lucky enough to end up in one with a “bad” location.

Read my guide on avoiding noisy locations here:

Don’t Book A Noisy Cruise Cabin

Cruise cabins are designed for sleeping, with everything you need to be comfortable. You will have:

• Quality sheets and bedding
• Bedside tables to put your things on
• Good curtains to block out the light that cover the entire windows or patio doors to the balcony.
• Air conditioning so that you can keep the cabin at your perfect sleeping temperature.

If your cabin has blackout curtains, you should get no light from outside the ship.

If you book an inside cabin – even better! There is no natural daylight, the cabin is pitch black when the lights are off.

The problem could be that you sleep too much! You won’t know if it’s 3 am or 3 pm – it’s always dark!

Many people say they accidentally sleep much longer than normal because there are:

• No streetlights
• No early sunlight
• No normal household noise

This is very handy if you are cruising somewhere where the sun doesn’t ever set (Norway in the summer, for example)

I took a cruise on Norwegian Star, where the sun didn’t set for three whole days! I still slept remarkably well though…

Find out more about that amazing cruise here:

You’re Usually More Active During The Day

Cruise holidays naturally involve lots of movement.

Many people have a day job that keeps them tied to a desk or computer for multiple hours a day.

When you are on your cruise holiday, you are likely to be:

• Walking around the ship.
• Exploring ports.
• Taking shore excursions.
• Walking up stairs onboard.
• Spending long days sightseeing.

I think that people often underestimate how physically tiring cruises can actually be!

Especially on:

• Port-intensive itineraries where you dock in a different port or country every day.
• Big ships, where it takes a long time to get from one end of the ship to another, or from the top to the bottom of the ship.
• City-heavy cruises like Japan or the Mediterranean, where there is so much to explore.

I took one interesting cruise where I couldn’t prepare in advance for ports I would be visiting – as i didn’t know where I was going.

Take a look at that unusual “Mystery Cruise” here:

Cruise Ships Have Constant Background Noise

Cruise ships are rarely completely silent.

There is always likely to be a low background noise. This could be:

• An air conditioning hum
• Distant engines (or not so distant if you are low down at the back of the ship!)
• Water movement
• Gentle vibrations

This acts almost like built-in white noise. It’s a bit like the sound of the rain outside, or having a fan on when you sleep. There, but not obtrusive.

You’re Away From Normal Life

Cruises relieve a lot of everyday stress for many.

It’s lovely to escape the grind of everyday work. Many people have to commute to work every day, and this can be exhausting.

There are no chores, cooking, or cleaning to be done.

You can ignore your emails – you might not have access to WiFi anyway! If I wasn’t working from the ships, I certainly wouldn’t pay extra for the WiFi…

I can use the mobile data on my phone when in port, and checking emails when docked is enough for most people. (Check your individual phone plan, as the cost of using your phone abroad varies greatly. )

Your brain can properly switch off in a way that’s difficult at home. I can always see a job I meant to do, or find something that needs attending to. If I am not at home, I can’t do anything, so I completely relax.

My biggest decision onboard is often just “What should I eat next?” and “Which restaurant should I try today?”

Sea, Air, and Sunlight Probably Help Too

Cruises naturally expose you to fresh sea air, you will be walking outside, and you might get more sunlight. All of this can help improve sleep patterns.

You will be outside, watching sailaways, walking on the deck and (weather permitting) sitting outside on warm evenings.

Many people spend far more time outdoors on cruises than they do at home, where there are so many distractions.

Why Inside Cabins Create Amazing Sleep

It is no secret that I love an inside cabin.

One of the main reasons is that they are extremely quiet and dark (almost cave-like), and I sleep incredibly well.

I know that some people absolutely hate inside cabins and feel claustrophobic, but that’s not a problem for me.

Couple that with the amazing savings that can be made by booking an inside cabin – You could often take two cruises in an inside cabin for the price of one in a balcony.

Have a look at some of the cheapest inside cabins I have ever stayed in, in the video below, before you dismiss the idea of booking an inside cabin:

Why Cruise Naps Are Different…

There is nothing nicer than exploring the port in the morning, then going back to your cabin for an afternoon nap!

Just “resting for 20 minutes” can turn into a three-hour sleep – but that doesn’t matter, you are on a cruise!

I have been known to fall asleep on the odd sunlounger too…

There is something about the warm sun, the sea air and the gentle movement of the ship that sends me drifting off…

Not Everybody Sleeps Better On Cruises

Not everyone is lucky enough to sleep as well as I do, I fully appreciate that.

Some reasons some people struggle are:

• Engine vibration in cabins that are low down or towards the back of the ship.
• Noisy neighbours
• Noise from public venues on the ship
• Anxiety about seasickness
• Early port announcements over the tannoy.

Cabin location can massively affect sleep quality.

My parents were upgraded to a balcony cabin at the top and front of the Queen Mary 2 during our transatlantic crossing. They originally had a restricted-view cabin, behind a lifeboat in the middle of the ship.

It was a terrible “upgrade”! Find out more about that here:

Why This Cruise Cabin “Upgrade” Was Worse (Don’t Let This Happen to You)!

They slept very badly, because of the noise of the bow crashing through the stormy seas. At some points, they were worried they would literally roll out of bed. The movement was that bad.

That really is an exception, though. I wouldn’t recommend taking a winter transatlantic crossing; you are very likely to hit storms.

Find out all about that memorable cruise here:

Before You Go

Cruise ships can be massive! Find out how long it would take to walk across the world’s biggest cruise ship here:

How Long Does It Take To Walk Across The World’s Biggest Cruise Ship?

Find out why booking the cheapest cabin might mean you suffer less from seasickness here:

Why Booking The Cheapest Cabin Might Mean A Smoother Cruise