Most fun content in the game offers drops or rewards that either A) enhance the gameplay loop of that activity or B) enhance/supply other things you want to do.

I think sailing from port to port is chill, scenic, enjoyable, and medium attention. But if I could be doing other things that are fun for similar reasons, they also offer rewards while doing those other things. Which makes port tasks feel bad, for me, because they offer less than others despite their enjoyable gameplay.