If you like to cruise in style, then there’s one class of cabin you might be considering: a suite. Suites can range anything from slightly larger than a traditional cabin to grand staterooms like this one with amazing views. The experience is nicer, but is it worth the extra cost? On a cruise ship, suites vary widely. Whereas a balcony or an interior cabin may have small variations, but be … [Read more...]

Celebrity Cruises also offers a full lineup of drink packages, giving you the ability to pay one set daily price and then have your choice of beverages without worrying about a bill. Drink as much as you want, and you’ll know exactly what you’ll spend. Celebrity offers a luxury cruise experience, including several drink packages so you can enjoy yourself without worrying about a bar … [Read more...]

Looking for the perfect cabin for your cruise? It’s definitely worth your time. While cruises might have several stops, given the average time spent in port of just 8-9 hours per day, the vast majority of your vacation is spent aboard the ship. So having a great room to enjoy is a nice thing to have. Picking the right cabin? It’s easier than you think, but consider the points below. … [Read more...]

Hurricane Beryl, which has wreaked havoc from the Lesser Antilles to Mexico — and caused numerous adjustments to cruise schedules — made its final landfall this morning. The storm, which set a record for the earliest category 5 Atlantic hurricane ever, lost much of its initial strength but still hit Texas as a strong category 1 system with wind gusts approaching 100 miles per … [Read more...]

A cruise is a fun vacation, but that doesn’t mean you don’t have to mind your manners. In fact, cruising encounters lots of situations that you may not see in normal day-to-day life that means there are etiquette rules you may not even realize you’re breaking. I can tell you, however, that other people do notice. Don’t worry though, from dress codes to theaters, from … [Read more...]

Sailing Alaska is unlike any other cruise you will take. Even if you’ve taken dozens of cruises to the Caribbean, Europe, or elsewhere, it’s vastly different when you sail to this part of the United States. Cruising Alaska may feel familiar if you’ve sailed other places before, but there are lots of differences you should know about before you get on the ship. From the weather to … [Read more...]

If you love your Starbucks or your daily sodas on your Norwegian cruise, then be prepared to open your wallet a little bit wider. New prices listed on the Norwegian website for soda and coffee packages show a sharp increase in cost. The cruise line offers two “all you can drink” packages that focus on these two beverages, and both are jumping in price, up to 27% in one case. We noticed … [Read more...]

Hurricane season is off to an early start, with Hurricane Beryl forming and rapidly intensifying to the earliest category 4 Atlantic hurricane on record. Currently sitting about 500 miles southeast of Puerto Rico, the storm is battering the Lesser Antilles as it makes its way into the Caribbean Sea. Beryl is generating maximum sustained winds of 140 miles per hour. If there is good news, … [Read more...]

If you’ve never cruised before, you may not know anything about one of the ship’s most important safety practices, known as a muster drill. No matter which cruise you pick, you’ll need to complete a muster drill prior to the ship leaving the dock. And even if you have sailed, in recent years the drill has changed dramatically following the pandemic. So what exactly is this drill … [Read more...]

Today, I make my living writing and talking about cruises, but just over a decade ago, I took my first trip ever. In the dozens of cruises since, I’ve learned a lot, and there is plenty that I remember thinking before the first cruise that was just plain wrong, and other things that I just had no idea about. That’s why I’m pulling back the curtain and sharing what no one told me … [Read more...]

Looking for what is a good price on a cruise? We have you covered whether you are sailing to the Caribbean, Alaska, or the Mediterranean. When it comes to how much a cruise should cost, many people are surprised that the amount you pay can vary widely — even for largely the same trip. In other words, nailing down exactly what is a “good” price for a cruise a little more difficult … [Read more...]

Who doesn’t love to get something for free, especially when it’s a freebie while on your cruise? Or maybe we should clarify that since you’ve paid for the cruise, it’s not actually free… but it is included in what you’ve paid. Still, there are a number of things that you may not realize that are there for your vacation, if you just ask for them. Beach Towels … [Read more...]

Wondering if the alcoholic drink package on Princess is worth it? Or maybe you know you want the package, but want to know all the details of how it works before you buy. Princess offers drink packages (the Plus and Premium packages) that allow you to enjoy beverages on the ship without worrying about a bar tab at the end of the cruise. Drink packages have a lot to offer for passengers. Instead of … [Read more...]

Working while on a cruise? Is it actually possible (even if it may not be what you had in mind on your vacation)? And what about the logistics of actually getting things done while at sea or in port? Need to get some work done while on vacation? Here’s our take on working while taking a cruise. While internet connectivity has allowed us the ability to work from everywhere — including … [Read more...]

Starting July 1, the “price” of your cruise will likely rise considerably. But don’t be too worried. What you’ll pay in the end will stay the same, and the new pricing is actually a good thing in our opinion. Beginning in July, cruise lines — including Princess — will start to include taxes, fees, and port expenses in the advertised fare. The change comes … [Read more...]

Other than maybe working on a tan, there’s not much that is more popular than having a drink or three while on a cruise. Bars are everywhere around the ship, and alcohol is big business. But while you might think that there isn’t much that can trip you up about having a drink on vacation, there are a number of things that you may not know. Alcohol flows freely on a cruise, but there … [Read more...]

Looking for a dirt-cheap cruise? What about spending less than $300 per person on cruise fare taking you to some of the most beautiful beaches in the world?  Think that it costs a fortune to take a cruise? Think again. We’ve rounded up lots of cruises under $300 per person. It may seem too good to be true, but it’s absolutely possible… as you’ll see below. Before we … [Read more...]

Royal Caribbean is known as one of the most popular cruise lines on the planet. But how clean are its ships? Turns out, very clean if you go by the cruise line’s inspection reports as published by the CDC. Cruise ships sailing from the United States are regularly inspected by the CDC, with scores and reports issued to the public. We have the latest data across all of Royal Caribbean’s … [Read more...]

Port Canaveral is among the busiest cruise departure ports on the planet. Each year, literally millions of passengers start their trips here, across any cruise line you can imagine. Port Canaveral is one of the most popular departure ports in the world, with lots of hotel choices right near the cruise terminals. However, if you’re just coming to town to get on the ship and leave, then we … [Read more...]

Move over Icon of the Seas, there’s a new ship on the block. While Icon took the world by storm as the world’s new largest cruise ship (and still gets significant press today), Royal Caribbean has actually been working on a new ship, albeit with much less fanfare. Following a ceremony onboard, Utopia of the Seas officially joined the Royal Caribbean fleet. As the second-largest cruise … [Read more...]