Surprises on vacation can be fun, but seeing what your cruise ship looks like as it sails away without you onboard isn't something any of us want to experience.  While we've got a lot of practice cruising, there's still a little part of us that worries about missing the ship in port, but if you do these five things you can almost certainly make it back onboard with just enough time to shower before realizing that you forgot about your dinner reservations.

Out of all the questions I’m asked about cruising, the one I find the most intriguing has to be, “In your opinion, what is the best cruise?”. The person asking may have heard me talk about how cruising isn’t only one thing and there are many options beyond the offerings they may have experienced - in terms of both the ship and itinerary. My response is usually...

It was less than a year and a half ago that a new cruise line started sailing in North America with the promise of being different.  Suggestive marketing, tech-forward gimmicks like Shake for Champagne, and promoting themselves as a holiday for rock stars were cornerstones of the brand before Richard Branson’s Adult-by-Design Virgin Voyages even had a ship in the water.  We’re not all young sexy rock stars though (spoiler alert, I know), and this led to a statement I hear a lot, “I don’t think they’re for me.”  Funny enough, I’ve heard this from all sorts of would-be cruisers - er, sailors, as Virgin calls them...

In November 2022 we sailed the new Norwegian Prima, the first of her class, for a seven night Western Caribbean cruise.  We visited Roatan, Harvest Caye, Costa Maya, and Cozumel -  but the real highlight was the ship.  Norwegian Prima is a 144k GT ship carrying about 3100 people, but has a totally new aesthetic, several new venues and entertainment options, and the most favorable passenger : space ratio of any ship in the fleet.  In the player below, you can watch all of our daily videos recorded during our cruise (one per day) and see what sailing on Prima is really like...

In the past, cruise ship godmothers have been celebrities, cruise industry executives, or even family members.  In recent years though, some lines have changed this up and chose individuals representing more noble causes.  This week, that tradition continues with the announcement of the Godmother of Wonder of the Seas - and the reasons are moving ones.

We sailed Disney Cruise Line's newest ship, Disney Wish, for a three night sailing to Nassau and Disney's private island, Castaway Cay.  In this set of two vlogs we take you along as we navigate the ship and try to see all she has to offer. From adult-only fine dining, to a Walk Like a Pirate contest that was part of the Disney Dish on the Disney Wish group we were a part of, there is something for everyone on this sailing...

Recently, the adult only cruise line Virgin Voyages created a new add-on to allow sailors traveling as couples to enjoy themselves even more.  The new “A Splash of Romance” package includes VIP access, spa access, pressed juice, champagne, and more.  Is it worth it?  Does it add romance, or just perks?  We tried it on the very first cruise to offer this option...

Recently, Carnival Cruise Line made some cuts to a few services, and guests aren’t loving it.  One of them in particular matters to me.  Will you miss what Carnival is taking away?

Whether getting ready for your first cruise or at the top of a loyalty program, most agree that the first day of your cruise is the most exciting. To make sure that excitement turns into a great cruise follow along with our list of 12 things you should do on embarkation day...

Will vaccine and testing requirements go away?  What about other regulations that cruise lines have had to follow?  These are questions many are asking after the US CDC announced today that they're eliminating their COVID-19 Program for Cruise Ships, effective immediately...