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Bringing You Onboard Icon of the Seas' Maiden Voyage: The World's Largest Cruise Ship

__alt__ We're sailing the world's largest, newest cruise ship, Icon of the Seas.  As we enjoy her maiden voyage we're bringing you along.  In real time we're releasing tours, vlogs, live streams, and more.  You can find these on the CruiseHabit YouTube channel, along with updates on our other social channels, all linked here.  Additionally, you can find an embedded playlist of Icon of the Seas videos below... read more

Understanding the Benefits & Catches of NCL's Free at Sea Program

NCL free at seaCruise line marketing teams are crafty folks, and pricing strategies sometimes make figuring out what you’re getting and for how much a bit confusing.  This is perhaps most true with Norwegian Cruise Lines, where they’re always in the midst of a sale that has limited time left, and they look to bundle a lot of extras with their fares.  Looking past the multitude of fine print and options can be tricky - but we’ll help make it clearer so you understand exactly what’s right for you. read more

Why Don't Cruise Ships Stay in Port Longer?

Celebrity Equinox Docked in San Juan at Night...and DayModern cruising offers seemingly endless amenities and entertainment onboard ships, but the destinations ships sail to are another reason that guests  choose this type of vacation.  Seeing new places and experiencing local cultures is a wonderful part of cruising, leading many to wonder, “Why don’t cruise ship stay in port longer?”  Like many matters, it comes down to multiple factors, and we’re going to discuss several of the reasons that cruise ships don’t stay in port longer hours.  Spoiler alert, it often comes down to money. read more

The Ultimate Guide to Bidding for Upgrades on Your Cruise

The ultimate guide to bidding on stateroom upgrades Everyone likes the idea of getting a good deal on an upgraded cabin, and a lot of cruise lines now offer this opportunity through a bidding process.  There are a lot of mysteries about how this works and what the secret to winning an upgrade bid is, so we’re going to help clear this up.  We’ll explain the bidding process, share some reasons cruise lines like this system (and they’re not all the reasons you’ll expect), and tell you what to do and what not to do in order to maximize your chances of winning an upgrade on your next cruise... read more

Five Ways my First Alaskan Cruise Exceeded my Expectations

5 Ways my First Alaska Cruise Exceeded my ExpectationsAlaska always had that mystical appeal in my eyes. I had often dreamed of its awe-inspiring landscapes and formidable fauna. After spending most of my adult life sitting on school benches with my nose in my books, I finally got to plan my first “adult” vacation and my heart was dead set on visiting the Final Frontier. I was only recently introduced to the wonderful cruising world, yet, exploring the 49th state by sea seemed like the obvious choice... read more

Carnival Celebration Western Caribbean Vlog - Is Carnival's Newest Ship Really its Best?

Carnival Celebration Vlog Review If you think you know Carnival but you've not sailed their new Excel class ships, think again.  Watch our videos from this six night Western Caribbean cruise on Carnival Celebration, and find out if this class of ship changes your mind about Carnival.  Whether it does or not, we're sure you'll be pretty wowed by some of what we found onboard.... read more

Cruising Alaska on Norwegian Encore, Pt 1 | Whales, Scenic Train Rides, Hiking in Juneau & More!

Cruising Norwegian Encore in Alaska is as much about the places you visit as the things your see passing by your verandah. Sipping hot coffee and watching wildlife pass by one day and exploring old mining towns or taking mountain hikes the next - there is so much to see. On our seven night cruise, we start by departing Seattle and sailing through Alaska's Inside Passage toward Juneau and then Skagway... read more

My Five Favorite Spaces on Carnival Celebration

Carnival CelebrationFor years, Carnival’s fleet has felt a bit homogenous to me, but when Carnival Mardi Gras came out in 2021 I got a sneak peak and realized that the new Excel Class is something different.  Excited by that visit, this summer I sailed the second Excel Class ship, Carnival Celebration.  You can check out my videos about that ship, and our cruise on here, but in this article I want to share my just five favorite spaces on the 183,521 gross ton vessel. read more