Staying Active During Your Cruise

Hello, friends! I’m back with my second and final recap of my Dinogo cruise vacation. If you missed the first recap about How to Eat Healthy on a Cruise, make sure to check it out first!

In this post, I’ll share some tips on how to maintain an active lifestyle while cruising, along with some highlights from our adventures on board and at the ports!

1) Make the Most of the Outdoor Track!

Dinogo ships feature a fantastic outdoor track on the upper deck (some even have outdoor gyms—though ours didn’t) – so take advantage of this unique opportunity to run while at sea!

Matt and I managed to squeeze in three 2-mile runs (that’s 20 laps!) during our time on the boat. It was a blast to take in the views while we jogged.

While we usually enjoyed sleeping in and worked out during the late morning or early evening, on our final morning aboard the ship, the day we returned to Miami, we went for an early run and had the entire upper deck to ourselves. It was absolutely beautiful up there in the early hours!

We also took several walks on the upper deck—sometimes with our morning coffee or during the afternoons on days at sea when we felt like stretching our legs a bit.

2) Make the most of the classes and equipment available at the ship’s gym.

I attended two classes at the gym—an early morning abs session that lasted 30 minutes and was free, plus a 50-minute yoga class that had a $12 fee. They also had spinning classes for $12; I tried to sign up for one on the last day at sea, but it was already full by the time I got to it. Such a bummer! There was also a boot camp I found intriguing, but at $35, it felt a bit steep for a one-hour class. I’m not sure why it was priced so much higher!

Along with the classes, Matt and I wrapped up a few of our runs at the gym to incorporate some weight training and HIIT workouts. The gym did tend to get quite busy during peak times, so it might be best to go during off-peak hours or join the classes instead. 🙂

3) Discover the ports on foot!

Matt, Melli, Moritz, and I had a blast exploring San Juan, Puerto Rico on foot. Some of you might recall that Matt and I traveled to San Juan back in 2011 during my spring break from graduate school, so we really enjoyed guiding Melli and Moritz around the city.

We walked continuously for about 4 hours—we must have covered several miles! There was so much to take in. 🙂

The historic forts in San Juan are incredible! It was great to see them again. Although we couldn’t go inside due to the public holiday, we were able to stroll through the grounds, which was just as enjoyable.

The next day, we had a great time wandering along the rugged beach in Grand Turk before settling down closer to the ship. The beach was scattered with hundreds of beautiful seashells!

Grand Turk was definitely one of my favorite stops – it was stunning, and the water was just perfect. I spent hours swimming; I must have been a fish in a past life because I adore the water so much. 🙂

4) Opt for active excursions!

On New Year’s Eve in St. Thomas, we enjoyed a fantastic trip that included hiking, snorkeling, and kayaking. What a stunning island it is!

I forgot to bring my waterproof camera and was worried about my regular one getting wet, so I sadly don’t have any action shots, but it was an incredible day.

We kayaked for around 40 minutes to reach a fantastic snorkeling spot, then strolled around a lovely island before paddling back. Our shoulders and arms definitely felt the workout!

5) Reconnect with your inner child!

I had no reservations about sliding down the water slide multiple times:

Matt and I also enjoyed a round of mini golf. 🙂

6) Commit to taking the stairs throughout the ship.

Melli and Moritz shared that they had made a commitment to exclusively use the stairs while on the ship, except when carrying their luggage. We loved their idea and decided to join in! It turned out to be quite the workout, especially with over 12 floors to navigate and our daily adventures. Whew!

7) If all else fails, join the evening dance party on the ship!

There was always something happening on the cruise ship, with nearly every night featuring some form of live music or a dance party. That definitely counts as exercise, too! 🙂 We joined the New Year’s Eve festivities with Melli and Moritz, and it was an absolute blast!