We like to picture ships as most of us experience them - clean, shiny, and new.  The fact is however that ships don't last forever.  How do cruise ships stay so youthful, and what happens when they get a bit long in the tooth?

Starting October 1st Carnival will debut new Saturday morning original content aimed to educate 13-16 year old viewers on new travel destinations and experiences, while of course keeping cruising in mind.

The 168k gross-ton Norwegian Joy, heading to China in June of 2017, is breaking the mold in a number of ways but showing us that cruising out of Asia is not just moving into the modern era, but perhaps set to outpace the US cruise market in sophistication - just look at Royal Caribbean's decision to move the Quantum of The Seas to China.  The Joy's dining options alone are enough for me to take a second look at what NCL has to offer.

Two weeks ago we shared an AmEx offer for Royal Caribbean, and now AmEx is offering $150 back after spending $500 on Celebrity Cruises!  If you've got an American Express card just log in and check for offers down at the bottom under, "Travel".

The Pub has moved and on June 5 2021 will be opening in a new location!  You can find the address and more details on their Facebook page.

Over the years we've developed some favorite spots in various ports, and Cozumel is no exception.  As part of the Royal Caribbean Blog group cruise on Freedom of the Seas we spent today in Cozumel, Mexico and hit up a local drinking hole for the second visit in a row, deciding to add it to the growing list of spots we love in Cozumel.

Missing out on a cruise is hard, but sometimes there are great reasons. Last night, while on Freedom of the Seas, we got to meet the friends of one of our readers, (Connor, @fay78x on Twitter) learn about why he's not onboard, and connect with them all in what has certainly been the most personal experience of our adventure so far.

Drinking ages vary by country, but what are the rules on the high-seas?

Like many things this is not an easy question to answer.  While the drinking age in the United States is 21, plain and simple, many guests on cruise lines are from nations with very different laws and customs.  What should you expect if traveling from the U.K., or perhaps Brazil?  

Let's review alcohol policies aboard some of the more popular cruise lines, copied straight from their websites with my commentary below.

If you have an American Express card, log in to your account and check your offers down near the bottom.

We've got a really exciting week on land and sea coming up and you can follow along live!

I’m frequently asked about my favorite ship.  This is a tough question.  I don’t have children, but I imagine it’s only slightly more difficult for me to pick my favorite ship than for parents to pick their favorite child.  Come on parents, you know you have a favorite.

While I still can’t tell you what my favorite ship is, there are certainly some that stand out more than others.  Maybe one is the prettiest, another has the most amenities, and some I might just love out of nostalgia.  For this reason, I’m sharing with you the first in what will be a series of articles offering a brief summary of one of my favorite ships.