Modern 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

Alaska 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

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

Packing tips are a hot topic among cruisers, but how you unpack once you're in your in cabin isn’t often discussed.  What is discussed a fair amount is what happens if you get back to the port late and miss your cruise ship.  Those two things, however, can be quite related... read more