It’s time to head back to another “dam” ship! After spending three weeks on Holland America Line’s Rotterdam cruising the Panama Canal, the Caribbean, and the Bahamas, I’m back onboard again, this time on Koningsdam, the lead ship in Holland America’s game-changing Pinnacle Class. Launched in 2016, Koningsdam was a…
Just when you thought Royal Caribbean’s floating amusement park ships couldn’t get any more absurd, the line went ahead and proved otherwise. Today, Royal Caribbean officially pulled back the curtain on Hero of the Seas, the fourth Icon Class ship, set to arrive in Miami in August 2027. And somehow,…
If you’re sailing with Carnival over Easter in 2026, here’s a look at what will be served in the main dining room for the holiday. It has a pretty good mix of traditional Easter favorites along with Carnival’s usual dining room options. For a lot of families, spending Easter at…
Let me say this before the resort people start firing off angry emails from a swim-up bar. There is absolutely nothing wrong with an all-inclusive resort. If your ideal vacation is sitting in the same lounger for six straight days, rotating between the pool, the buffet, and your room while…
You’ve spent months planning your dream cruise. You've picked the perfect itinerary, booked the best specialty restaurants, and meticulously packed your bags with everything you'll need for a fantastic vacation. Finally, embarkation day is here! You arrive at the port and hand your checked luggage over to the porters. You…
Day 9 and final report from Rotterdam, and we wrap up this ABC… or CBA… cruise with a stop that doesn’t even get a letter in the name… Half Moon Cay, Holland America’s private island in the Bahamas. This is a staple stop on just about every HAL Caribbean itinerary,…
Nobody wants to think about the end of a cruise while they’re still enjoying it, but eventually it happens. One night you come back to your cabin after dinner, maybe after one last drink or one last lap around the buffet, and there it is waiting for you: the luggage…
Day 8 on Rotterdam and it’s our second straight sea day as we make our way toward the final stop on this ABC… or CBA… cruise, Half Moon Cay in the Bahamas. With no port to explore today, it’s a good time to step back and talk about the ship…
Day 7 on Rotterdam and we’ve officially hit the first of two back-to-back sea days as we make our way toward our final stop of this 9-day ABC (well… CBA) cruise, Half Moon Cay in the Bahamas. Sea days are usually when I like to focus on ship stuff since…
Day 6 on Rotterdam and we’ve officially made it to the final stop in this ABC island run… Aruba. So yes, after doing Curaçao and Bonaire first, we finally get to the “A” in ABC. Makes perfect sense, right? We pulled into Oranjestad right at 8:00 a.m. and were cleared…
