Our first full day on Seaside was exactly the pace I enjoy: relaxed. Between the two of us, a long week of moving and a week of international travel meant we took things easy today, but still feel we took in a lot of what Seaside has to offer (as well as a nap). We enjoyed meals, some sun, entertainment, and the best stage show I've seen at sea. read more
Waking up knowing I'm going on a cruise that day always feels great. Interestingly, knowing the ship wasn't scheduled to set sail until 7:00pm made things feel a bit less rushed, even though 4:00pm sailings out of South Florida give us plenty of time to get to the ship ahead of schedule. We had some breakfast, double-checked our packing list (we don't need a repeat of this day) and got into a Lyft to head to the port around 1:00pm. read more
This Saturday (July 7) we'll be setting sail and enjoying seven nights in the Caribbean while bringing all the details to you. What makes this particularly exciting for us is that like our November sailing on Holland America, we're trying out a cruise line that is completely new to us: MSC Seaside. To add to the excitement, we're scheduled to sail to a couple of ports that we've not visited in many years. read more
Over the years cruise ships have become bigger and bigger - bringing attention and fanfare with every superlative. On the news, on social media, and in ads it seems cruise lines are constantly trying to "out-build" each other. While there is no doubt that many consumers are excited about these giant vessels, did you know that they don't represent the majority of new ships? Let's talk about why mega-ships are so popular, and what the average new cruise ship size actually is. read more
Passengers traveling with many cruise lines enjoy White Pass Scenic Railway when visiting Alaska, but now the largest cruise company in the world will own it. This week Carnival Corporation & plc announced they are purchasing TWC Enterprises Limited's White Pass & Yukon Route division in Skagway, Alaska. read more
Could pain at the pump extend to your next cruise? This week, oil prices closed at $65 a barrel, and we have to wonder if cruise lines will soon begin charging fuel supplements as they have in the past. About ten years ago operators of cruise ships and airlines had a big problem: the rising price of fuel. To solve it, they started passing unexpectedly high fuel costs along to guests in the form of “fuel supplements.” Even though it’s been years since cruise passengers were charged any of these fees, the option for lines to do this never went away, and we have a hunch you may soon be throwing in some gas money for the next time your ship commences bunkering operations... read more
From sea to shining sea, Celebrity Cruises and parent company Royal Caribbean Cruises Ltd continue to promote equality and inclusivity, and this year they hosted their second annual Pride Party at Sea. Olympian figure skaters Johnny Weir and Adam Rippon were on hand as ambassadors at this week's festivities during Pride Month. read more