The travel blog
Trip reports, honest reviews, and points & miles news from around the world — written after actually staying, sailing, and flying.
Is The Haven on Norwegian Cruise Line Worth It?
The Haven on Norwegian is worth it on Prima and Breakaway class ships where it has its own restaurant and lounge. Drinks and Wi-Fi still come through Free at Sea.
Is MSC Yacht Club Worth It?
MSC Yacht Club bundles a butler, a private restaurant, a premium drink package, and Wi-Fi into one fare. Here is what it includes, which ships have it, and when I would book it.
Is The Retreat on Celebrity Cruises Worth It?
The Retreat bundles Luminae, a private lounge and sundeck, a butler team, Premium drinks, and Premium Wi-Fi into every Celebrity suite. Here is when that adds up and when AquaClass or Concierge Class is the smarter booking.
Is Disney Cruise Line Concierge Worth It?
Disney Cruise Line Concierge adds a 130-day activity booking window, a private lounge and sundeck, and priority boarding. Here is what is included and who should pay for it.
How To Plan a Multigenerational Cruise
How I set up a cruise for grandparents, parents, and kids: the right line and ship, connecting cabins, dinner together every night, and a clean plan for who pays.
How To Plan a Family Reunion Cruise (and How Group Rates Work)
How group bookings work for a family reunion cruise, from the minimum cabin counts and group credits to deposits, linked dining, and keeping thirty relatives on schedule.
Best Honeymoon Cruises: Lines, Ships, and Itineraries for Newlyweds
The cruise lines, itineraries, and cabins I steer newlyweds toward, from adults-only Virgin Voyages to suites with private lounges on Celebrity and Princess.
Best Cruise Lines for Seniors
The cruise lines that suit older travelers best, and the accessibility, cabin, tender port, and insurance details that make or break the trip.
Cruising With a Baby or Toddler: Minimum Ages, Nurseries, and What To Pack
Minimum ages, the 12-month rule, pool rules, cribs, and nap-friendly cabins for taking a baby or toddler on a cruise.
Cruise Ship Deployments for 2028 and 2029: Every Announcement and Release Date So Far
Every 2028 and 2029 cruise ship deployment announced so far, line by line, plus the dates when the next batches of itineraries go on sale.
MSC Sandy Cay: What To Know About MSC’s New Private Island Opening in 2028
MSC Cruises opens Sandy Cay, a second private island next to Ocean Cay, in 2028. What MSC has confirmed, what the renderings show, the Ocean Cay upgrades coming first, and whether to wait.
How to Book a Princess Cruise Through a Travel Agent (and Why It Costs Nothing Extra)
A Princess cruise costs the same whether you book it direct or through a travel agent, and the agent route usually adds onboard credit and a second set of eyes. This is how it works.
What To Know Before Sailing on Princess Cruises for the First Time
Princess is the premium line most first-time cruisers never consider, and it should be on the list. This guide covers who it suits, what the fare includes, the Medallion, and how to book it right.
Best Princess Cruises for Alaska in 2027: Ships, Homeports, and Glaciers
Princess is the biggest cruise line in Alaska, with eight ships and 85 Glacier Bay calls in 2027. This guide picks the right ship and itinerary for each kind of traveler.
Princess Plus vs Princess Premier: Is the Upgrade Worth It in 2026?
Princess Plus and Princess Premier are the two fare bundles every Princess guest has to decide on. This is the full comparison with 7-night math and my recommendation by traveler type.
Princess Cruises Sale Explained: What the Current Offer Includes
Princess runs a sale almost every month, and the terms change more than the headline does. This is what the current offer includes, what it leaves out, and how I would use it.
Carnival Jubilee Adds 4- and 5-Day Cruises from Galveston for 2028–2029: What To Know Before You Book
Carnival Jubilee will sail 4- and 5-day cruises from Galveston for the first time in 2028–2029. Hee’s every itinerary, every port, and how to book.
Celebrity Cruises Concierge Class Changes: Canapés Out, Free Room Service In
Celebrity Cruises is changing Concierge Class for sailings after September 21, 2026. Afternoon canapés are gone, room service fees are waived, and gratuities went up. What to know before you book.
First-Time Cruise Tips: 30 Things Nobody Tells You Before You Sail
30 first-time cruise tips from a travel agent who has sailed 40+ ships: what the fare really covers, when to check in, which cabins to avoid, and what sells out on embarkation day.
Carnival Rewards Is Live: 12 Things Every Cruiser Needs To Know
Carnival Rewards replaced the VIFP Club on September 1. What Gold, Platinum, and Diamond now cost in real dollars, which benefits changed, what happens to kids, and how the Mastercard speeds up status.
