As a graduate student, I've been lucky enough to go on three to Hawaii, and a third just south of the Azores. Each of the cruises was about thirty days long. One of my favorite things about going to sea is being able to travel to ports in different parts of the world. At sea, I almost always serve the 12-4 watch. That means I'm in the main lab or out on deck from midnight to 4 am, and then again from noon to 4 pm.
Work takes up most of the time on a cruise.
Often scientists are awake for 24 hours or more, ensuring that instruments are working and data retrieval is continuous. Probably the hardest part of going on a cruise is isolation from the rest of the world. Even though ships now offer faxes, e-mail, and a few minutes of phone time, it's hard to keep up with daily news and your friends and family. Somehow watching taped games after you get back to land just isn't the same. Going to sea is the most exciting part of my work.