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Empress of the Seas Live Blog - Embaration Day

With every embarkation day there is a feeling of "vacation is finally here", despite the fact it isn't really a full day after checking in, muster, etc.  Today however was all the sweeter after a rather eventful arrival in Tampa, which you can read about over on CruiseHabit.com.  Adding to the excitement was the fact hat to us, Empress is a new ship, Tampa is a new port, and Cuba is a new destination... read more

Always use a checklist when preparing for your cruise - don't be like Billy.

We all make mistakes, but some come with a bigger serving of irony than others - yesterday I made one of those mistakes.  It cost me time and sleep, and contributed a lot of stress, but it could have been worse.  What was my mistake?  Well, despite writing, ranting, and preaching cruise tips ad nauseam, I failed to take my own advice and forgot something when preparing for our Cuba cruise... read more

Empress of the Seas Live Blog Preamble - ¡Vamos a Cuba! (We're going to Cuba!)

This Saturday we're setting sail on Royal Caribbean's Empress of the Seas, and while we're excited to sail on Royal's smallest ship in the fleet, we're even more exited about our itinerary which takes us to Havana, Cuba!  We'll also be visiting Key West and Cozumel, places we really enjoy, so this should be a treat.  During our five night sailing we'll be blogging at EmpressOfTheSeas.live, for RoyalCaribbeanBlog.com.  Be sure to follow along on the site, and stay tuned in on Twitter, Instagram, Facebook, and of course Periscope.  Oh, and make sure to catch Michael Poole's live blog from Oasis of the Seas going on at the same time as mine.  Mine is sure to be superior in every way, though if you dig photos of anything that happens before 9:00am you'll want to check with Michael's posts.  Now, let's start of by looking at our itinerary, the ship, and why we picked this particular sailing... read more

Just like Airlines, Cruise Lines Overbook – and It’s Nothing New.

You’ve no doubt heard stories of airlines overbooking flights and having to convince passengers to make alternative arrangements. What many people don’t realize is that cruise lines overbook as well.  Let’s look at why this happens, why it seems to be happening more in the past months, and how to help ensure that you can stay on your cruise – even if overbooked... read more

We're packing it up to sail to Cuba so we're giving away Amazon Basics packing cubes and cruise swag!

It's been a while since we had a giveaway, and we figured that since we're packing up to sail to Cuba soon, why not give away some Amazon Basics packing cubes?  We explained in the past when we showed how we pack for cruises that they make our lives easier, so we're giving you a shot to try them out.  We're also throwing in some vintage, limited edition Cunard World Cruise luggage tags, as well as CruiseHabit.com lanyards with pouches which you can use to carry your cruise keycard, ID, etc.  Click through to enter!  read more

Will there be WiFi on the ship? 11 Tips to Keep You Connected While Cruising

Whether you want to share your vacation memories as they happen or you're looking to be able to keep in touch with those back home, many of you have asked questions about staying connected while cruising, and there is no single answer.  In the past couple of years cell phone carriers have made international roaming a bit more palatable, but cell phone roaming rates on ships are still completely impractical, at least for calls and data.  What are your options if you want to stay in touch while cruising?  We've got 11 tips to keep you connected without breaking the bank... read more

Lautoka, Fiji as Reported by the Oceania Sirena... and Billy's Parents

 Billy's parents, Michael and Christine have been cruising the South Pacific on the beautiful Oceania Sirena, an R Class ship, similar to the Regatta, which we recently toured.  When we'd last got an update they were enjoying the sites both above and below the water while visiting Suva, Fiji and Isle of Pines, New Caledonia.  Since then we got some updates on their latest destination, Lautoka, Fiji, as well as some clarity on points we highlighted in their previous adventures... read more

Carnival Cruise Line Signs on to Build Largest Cruise Port in the Bahamas on Grand Bahama Island

Today at a ceremony in Freeport, officials with Carnival Cruise Line and the Bahamian government signed an agreement to build a record-breaking cruise port on Grand Bahama Island.  This port will be the largest purpose-built cruise facility ever built in The Bahamas and will be funded and operated by Carnival Cruise Line.  While the exact location has not yet been announced, it will include a one-mile stretch of beach, food, beverage and shopping outlets, an array of water-based amenities and other recreational facilities.  Importantly, the port will also feature a pier capable of accommodating two of Carnival’s largest cruise ships simultaneously and can expect to see up to 1 million guests a year... read more

Photo Update From Suva, Fiji & Isle of Pines, New Caledonia

In our last update Oceania Sirena was just arriving in New Caledonia.  Since then the ship (and Billy's parents) have enjoyed Isle of Pines, New Caledonia as well as Suva, Fiji.  We've not talked to them in a couple days but have a few pictures to share.  Looking at the colors leaves us selfishly looking forward to their return so we can see some higher quality photos of their journey.  One thing you'll note down below are a couple snorkel pics - be sure to read about why they're special.  Oh, and there will be a small dose of mind control in this post - you'll see... read more