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A Brief History of the Blue Riband - The Fastest Passenger Ships to Sail the Atlantic

Today, cruising evokes images of leisurely tropical destinations or exploration of historical sites on another continent.  Not long ago however, traveling by passenger ship was transportation, and speed mattered.  The need to quickly cross the Atlantic, combined with a geo-political climate (including two world wars) that promoted national pride, lead to government and industry joining hands in the quest for a symbolic award: The Blue Riband... read more

Carnival Increased Capacity in Tampa, Galveston, and New Orleans: Why these ports matter more than you think.

When you think of cruising most people think about leaving from South Florida, Seattle, or perhaps a large city in Europe.  There are many other ports out of which you can cruise, and recently Carnival announced they’re greatly increasing their capacity at some of them.  We look at why this is important, and what we think it might say about the popularity of cruising as well as the economy... read more

Same-Sex Couple Ties the Knot at Sea in Historic Ceremony on Celebrity Ship

Today the Celebrity Equinox was host to a historic event, as Francisco Vargas and Benjamin Gray became among the first same-sex couples to be legally married at sea on a major cruise line.  An intimate ceremony was officiated by Captain Dimitrios Manetas and the couple exchanged vows against the rose wall in Blu Restaurant, a specialty dining venue on Equinox. read more

Is it worth it to get a balcony on a cruise?

Our balcony on Independence of the Seas

For some, it's easy to decide on what stateroom to book, but for others it's a tough decision every time.  This leads to one of the most common questions we get "is getting a balcony worth it?"  It's always nice having your own private space from which to enjoy the views on your cruise, but that comes at a price - which means there are decisions to make.  There is no simple answer to the question, but we'll explain what considerations you should make when deciding whether to get a room with a view... read more

Celebrity Edge Floated Out Despite Foul Weather (updated with video!)

Celebrity Edge, STX Shipyard, Saint Nazaire, France

Today at the STX Shipyard in Saint-Nazaire, France, the Celebrity Edge came one step closer to entering service as she was floated out of her mounting dock, getting her first taste of the sea.  The careful maneuver required seven tugboats to safely position the 1,004 foot (306 meter) vessel to the Saint Nazaire Joubert Dock where her construction will continue ahead of schedule... read more

Getting to and from Your Cruise - Cruise Line Transfers

We’ve discussed before hotel park and cruise shuttles and how they’re not always the deal they seem.  We’ve also written about how we recommend getting around before and after your cruise out of South Florida.  Today however, at Fort Lauderdale International Airport we met a few travelers from New Jersey who just got off a Carnival cruise and were heading home.  They opted to get to the airport using a transfer purchased from Carnival, so we thought we’d share their experience and our thoughts... read more

Norwegian Epic Live Blog Day 7 - The big question: Did Ric make it to Great Stirrup Cay?

On the final day of the cruise, I got up pretty early thinking I might go over to Great Stirrup Cay. I made my way down to Taste for my last chance at some table service breakfast. Although breakfast is served at Taste on disembarkation day, I thought I would most likely just make a quick buffet trip. The huevos rancheros SP had enjoyed so much on our previous cruise on the Norwegian Escape were back on the menu. I ordered what became my standard breakfast... read more

Norwegian Epic Live Blog Day 6 - Sea Day With a Glow Party

For lunch, which was pretty much the start of my day after being out until 3am the night before, I went up to the Garden Cafe committed to find some vegetables. I was happy to see several vegetable dishes including some dumplings made of diced vegetables, peas, and corn held together by a batter, fried, then covered in barbecue sauce. I tried the no sugar added pumpkin pie... read more