Carnival’s first Excel-class ship, Mardi Gras, just came out of her first dry dock looking fresh and polished after a little time in the yard. Like any ship hitting dry dock for the first time, she got some much-needed TLC — paint touch-ups, system upgrades, deep cleaning, and a few…
It’s almost go time and I'm quite excited! In just a few days, I’m kicking off an incredible stretch of cruises on five ships across four cruise lines and nearly three months at sea. This run checks every box. I’m starting with my first time on Virgin Voyages for the…
There’s something deliciously eerie about being at sea in October. The ocean seems darker, the nights stretch a little longer, and when the moonlight hits the waves just right, you could almost swear you see something watching from the mist. Onboard, pumpkins glow in the atrium, cobwebs hang from railings,…
Cruise lines are pretty forgiving. They’ll tolerate you complaining about sub-par food in the dining room, removing tips on the last day of the cruise, or "reserving" your deck chair at 5:30am but not putting your butt in it until 10am. But there are a few things that will get…
At the end of September and into early October, Mother Nature did what she always does during hurricane season - she stirred things up. A storm system along the East Coast and in the Caribbean forced several cruise ships to adjust itineraries. Some changes were minor - skipping a port…
Virgin Voyages has shaken up the cruise industry with its adults-only policy, all-inclusive dining, and entertainment that runs late into the night. While many traditional cruise lines still focus on formal nights and production shows, Virgin takes a completely different approach — yet one thing that remains consistent with other…
Florida is the undisputed gateway to the Bahamas and the Caribbean. On any given day, ships are sailing from six homeports: Port Canaveral (Orlando), Port Tampa Bay (Tampa), Port of Palm Beach (West Palm Beach), Port Everglades (Fort Lauderdale), PortMiami (Miami), and JAXPORT (Jacksonville). Five of these — Miami, Fort…
Cruising has a way of turning otherwise normal people into full-on MacGyvers. You’d think a week at sea was the same as prepping for a year in the wilderness with how some folks pack. Don’t believe me? Hang around in any cruise Facebook group and you’ll see the same questions…
When Virgin Voyages was first announced back in 2014, it came with all the cheekiness you’d expect from Richard Branson’s Virgin brand. This wasn’t going to be your parents’ cruise line—or your kids’, for that matter. The company promised an adults-only experience with a heavy dose of rock-and-roll attitude. After…
Packing for a cruise is exciting—you’re tossing in swimsuits, sunscreen, and maybe a formal outfit for lobster night. But if you’re not careful, you might accidentally pack something that lands you on the cruise line’s “naughty list.” Every major cruise line has a list of prohibited items, and if you…
