After leaving Venice, we had 2 days at sea. It was us and 3000 of our closest friends on the Ruby Princess. The ship holds 3000 passengers plus 1200 crew - I believe that total population exceeds the population of my hometown! It amazes me that the ship floats but the laws of physics make it so! A cruise ship is a truly amazing thing... The number of people it can hold as well as the number of things to do on the ship. (If you've ever been on a cruise, you know what I'm talking about. If you've not been on a cruise, you would most certainly be impressed.) The staterooms (as you're room is called) are not that big and the bathroom in your stateroom is a bit like a closet but you honestly spend so little time in your room that it simply does not matter.
On the ship, there are multiple restaurants, bars, a fitness center, a spa, a daycare for kids, a casino, 4 pools, a duty free store, at least a handful of other shops (clothing, jewelry, etc), a library, an internet cafe, an outdoor movie screen at one of the pools (think drive-in movie & see picture posted) and activities planned all day, every day. There aren't many things I can think of that you cannot do on a ship when you're at sea. And in my experience, unless you're on the open ocean, you rarely ever feel that the ship is moving. If my memory is correct, this floating town travels at about 23 miles per hour, which is impressive considering what is on the ship! Just as I somewhat understand how a plane flies, I somewhat understand how a cruise ship sails...
The 2 days at sea immediately after experiencing Venice may seem to be a letdown. But honestly, it builds a bit more anticipation than you may have had originally which makes the thought of Athens and the Acropolis that much more appealing. And, even more honestly, those 2 days at sea after the long travel and time change (6 hours earlier in Italy than Ohio) are perfectly placed in the itinerary to allow one to rest and try to get over any jet lag. There was alot of reading by the pool and relaxing during those first 2 days. For anyone who has never been on a cruise ship, those days allow acclimation to the ship, too. Believe it or not, you can get somewhat lost on a ship! They give you a small map when you check-in and yes, you do need it. Even if you do not intend to do so, you will walk alot just on the ship.
On the ship, there are multiple restaurants, bars, a fitness center, a spa, a daycare for kids, a casino, 4 pools, a duty free store, at least a handful of other shops (clothing, jewelry, etc), a library, an internet cafe, an outdoor movie screen at one of the pools (think drive-in movie & see picture posted) and activities planned all day, every day. There aren't many things I can think of that you cannot do on a ship when you're at sea. And in my experience, unless you're on the open ocean, you rarely ever feel that the ship is moving. If my memory is correct, this floating town travels at about 23 miles per hour, which is impressive considering what is on the ship! Just as I somewhat understand how a plane flies, I somewhat understand how a cruise ship sails...
The 2 days at sea immediately after experiencing Venice may seem to be a letdown. But honestly, it builds a bit more anticipation than you may have had originally which makes the thought of Athens and the Acropolis that much more appealing. And, even more honestly, those 2 days at sea after the long travel and time change (6 hours earlier in Italy than Ohio) are perfectly placed in the itinerary to allow one to rest and try to get over any jet lag. There was alot of reading by the pool and relaxing during those first 2 days. For anyone who has never been on a cruise ship, those days allow acclimation to the ship, too. Believe it or not, you can get somewhat lost on a ship! They give you a small map when you check-in and yes, you do need it. Even if you do not intend to do so, you will walk alot just on the ship. 
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