Be sure to follow us on Periscope as tomorrow (October 29) we'll be live from the Norwegian Escape for the day.  It's been far too long since we were on a Norwegian ship so tomorrow we're excited to have the opportunity to check out this beautiful vessel before her first birthday.

Cruising, like everything in the world, is constantly evolving.  Certain things about cruising however are engrained in the minds of those who experienced them first hand, or even by watching The Love Boat.  To this day for example not a cruise goes by that I don't hear someone, often younger than I, asking if they still have a midnight buffet.  Let's take a quick glimpse at five of the things we just don't see on cruise ships any longer.

Virgin Cruises, started by business magnate and philanthropist Richard Branson, promised today in Miami to deliver "innovation and experiences" and that the company will now be known as Virgin Voyages, having placed an order with Fincantieri for three new vessels.  

Traditionally, the beautiful and peaceful ports in Alaska have been served by ships smaller than those which frequent the Caribbean, but Norwegian Cruise Line has revealed plans to change that in 2018 with the new 167,800 gross ton Norwegian Bliss, and an overhaul to Pier 66 in Seattle.

When a cruise ship is has been sailing in one region, and takes a long trip to start cruising another region, this journey is often billed as a "repositioning cruise."  They allow guests to spend a lot of time on the ship, usually at a far lower nightly cost than other sailings.  Let's look at where they go and why they're often so long...

I get a lot of questions about taking a first cruise, so this time I wanted to turn the conversation back around a bit - people other than me have great cruise tips too.  A week or so ago I reached out on social media and asked Reddit users on r/cruise the following question:

What do you wish you knew before you took your first cruise?

Samsung's challenges with the Galaxy Note 7 are well known by now, and the effects of this issue are now being felt on the high-seas.  The flagship device was recalled after a number of units spontaneously caught fire (contrary to the misuse of the word, they're not exploding).  Many cruise lines now aren't allowing passengers to power on their devices while on board, and things may not be getting much better.

Having a vacation ahead of you is a great feeling.  You've chosen your cruise and you're happy with what you're getting for your money, but what happens when the price of your cruise drops after you've already booked?  Let's look into what your options are so you can make sure you're getting the best deal possible...

Gratuities, service charges, or tips – no matter what you call them it’s hard to know what is appropriate and how to pay – especially on cruises.  Cruise lines have long had crew members who work long and hard hours, thousands of miles from family to make your vacation a great one.  Many of these hard working, dedicated people are compensated primarily with gratuities. 

This week Holland America Line (HAL) announced it'd be turning the heat up on it's culinary programming via a new partnership with National Public Radio's (NPR) program, "America's Test Kitchen".  The long running television and radio show filmed in Boston, MA has a team that tests and tweaks recipes to perfection, in a more scientific take on traditional cooking shows.  They also try out various kitchen gadgets, appliances, and more.