The Ship Became the Destination
We didn't become Roosters overnight.
In fact, it took us more than 30 years of cruising—and visiting nearly every Caribbean port multiple times—before we discovered something unexpected:
Sometimes the best day in port is the one you spend on the ship.
Like many cruisers, Nan and I spent our early years determined to get off the ship at every stop. We booked excursions, wandered through local shops, sampled the food, and proudly "planted the flag" in every destination. Even if we'd been there before, we felt obligated to go ashore.
Then something changed.
Over the last few years, we gradually stopped planning something for every port. Instead, we began staying onboard more often—and discovered an entirely different cruise experience.
Part of that is simply where we are in life. We're both in our 70s now, and these days cruising is less about checking destinations off a list and more about enjoying the ship itself.
Port days have become some of our favorite days of the cruise.
The atmosphere changes. The ship becomes quieter. There are no lines for food or drinks. Finding the perfect lounge chair is effortless. Crew members have more time to chat. The pool deck feels peaceful instead of crowded.
As a photographer, I especially love wandering the ship with my camera. Empty lounges, quiet staircases, sunlit promenades—these spaces have a completely different character when most passengers are ashore.
That doesn't mean we never leave the ship.
Sometimes we'll wander into port for an hour, pick up some local coffee, spices, or a T-shirt, stretch our legs, and then head right back onboard to roost for the rest of the day.
And from what we've discovered, that's exactly how many experienced cruisers approach it.
When I first introduced the word "Roosting" on Cruise Critic and Reddit, I wasn't sure how people would respond. The reaction surprised me. Cruiser after cruiser chimed in saying, "I thought we were the only ones." Others wrote, "I finally have a name for what we do," and "The ship is our destination."
That's when I realized Roosting isn't just something Nan and I enjoy.
It's a mindset shared by thousands of experienced cruisers.
So now we're curious...
Are you a Rooster?
Do you stay onboard in certain ports? Do you split your day between the ship and shore? Or are you still the first one down the gangway every morning?
Leave a comment and tell us your Roosting story. We'd love to hear it.