Well, I don’t know about you, but “suspected hantavirus outbreak on a cruise ship” was not on my 2026 bingo card. Norovirus? Sure. That one makes the cruise news cycle every couple months. Somebody uses the bathroom, skips the handwashing station, heads straight for the buffet tongs, and suddenly half…
If your cruise is stopping in Nassau on Tuesday, May 12, there’s one important thing you need to know before you start planning your day ashore. The Bahamas is going dry. Well, temporarily dry. As part of The Bahamas’ general election day, alcohol sales will be prohibited nationwide during election…
If you’ve followed along with any of my daily cruise reports, you already know that one of my favorite things to do during a port stop is simply wander. Not wander aimlessly into questionable situations, of course, but wander in the best possible way. I like getting beyond the immediate…
For those who followed along with my MSC World America cruise last week, one theme came up several times throughout the sailing: crowds. MSC World America is a very large ship. At full capacity, she can carry nearly 7,000 passengers. Our sailing was below that, with passenger counts in the…
Cruising can be one of the best vacation choices for seniors. It offers the opportunity to visit multiple destinations while unpacking only once, with meals, entertainment, transportation, and accommodations all included in one trip. For many older travelers, that convenience is a major part of the appeal. There are no…
Puerto Plata is one of those cruise ports where the answer to “Can I just walk around?” depends entirely on where your ship docks at. Because yes, Puerto Plata can be a great walking port. There are colorful streets, historic buildings, ocean views, local restaurants, little shops, and plenty of…
Cruise lines have gotten very good at finding new ways to charge for things, and Royal Caribbean may have just found one of the more creative ones. The latest is called Early Access, and it applies to guests who booked a guarantee stateroom. For a $30 fee per cabin, Royal…
Day 7 and the final report from MSC World America brings us to the last stop on this Eastern Caribbean cruise, MSC’s private island, Ocean Cay Marine Reserve in The Bahamas. As I do with all my final day reports, I’ll wrap things up at the end with my overall…
Day 6 on MSC World America was another sea day as we made our way toward the final port of call on this cruise, MSC Ocean Cay Marine Reserve in The Bahamas. So far, the weather has been more than cooperative, and on a ship this size that really matters.…
Day 5 on MSC World America is the first of two back-to-back sea days as we make our way to our final port of call on this cruise, MSC Ocean Cay Marine Reserve in The Bahamas, where we’ll be spending the day on Friday. One thing about MSC’s 7-night Eastern…
