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 MerMaiden Voyage of Brilliant Lady out of Miami, then switching gears to the British formality and elegance of the historic Cunard Line as Queen Elizabeth launches her first season in the Caribbean and my first time on the ship.
After that, I’m back to Holland America with a nostalgic week on the Zuiderdam, followed by a full 21 days on the flagship Rotterdam that includes an overnight in Aruba, a casino tournament on the second leg, and Thanksgiving at sea.
I’ll wrap the year in style on Explora I, the ultra luxury all suite ship from MSC’s Explora Journeys, for a Christmas cruise. Because of her small size, she’s able to dock at some of the most beautiful islands in the Caribbean that larger ships cannot, so it’s not only my first time on Explora, but also a few of the stops will be firsts as well.
The lineup is a wacky mix of maiden fanfare, tuxedoed nights, and relaxed elegance. There are plenty of sea days to soak it all in, port days for beach time and exploring, and a few special things I am extra excited about. Spending an overnight in Aruba has been on my wish list for ages and I’ll be doing that while on the Rotterdam. I am also curious to see how Zuiderdam is holding up after more than two decades of service since I last sailed her in 2013. And spending Christmas week on Explora I is what I am most excited about, as it is the ultimate way to end 2025.
If you love ship details, food pics, casino updates, and honest impressions of what works and what doesn’t, you are in the right place. I will be sharing daily posts, quick snippets on Facebook, YouTube, TikTok, Instagram, and X (formerly Twitter), and more photos than anyone should be allowed to post! So, please, follow my socials and come along with me for the journey.
So where exactly am I going and what about the ships I’ll be sailing on? Well, here’s the incredible lineup:
Virgin Voyages – Brilliant Lady
Dates: October 17–25, 2025
Homeport: PortMiami, Florida, USA
Ship Facts: 2025 build • 110,000 GT • ~2,700 passengers • ~1,150 crew
My first-ever Virgin Voyages sailing – and I’m doing on the MerMaiden Voyage of Brilliant Lady. I can’t wait to see how this adults-only cruise line lives up to the hype.
| Date | Port | Country |
| Oct 17 | Boarding Day – PortMiami | USA |
| Oct 18 | At Sea | – |
| Oct 19 | At Sea | – |
| Oct 20 | Philipsburg | St. Maarten |
| Oct 21 | Tortola | British Virgin Islands |
| Oct 22 | At Sea | – |
| Oct 23 | At Sea | – |
| Oct 24 | Beach Club at Bimini | The Bahamas |
| Oct 25 | Return to PortMiami | USA |
Cunard Line – Queen Elizabeth
Dates: October 28–November 6, 2025
Homeport: PortMiami, Florida, USA
Ship Facts: 2010 build • 90,900 GT • ~2,081 passengers • ~980 crew
Trading Virgin’s edgy vibe for Cunard’s British elegance, I’ll be onboard Queen Elizabeth for her first-ever Caribbean season. Expect afternoon tea, polished service, old-style formal evenings, and Halloween at sea..
| Date | Port | Country |
| Oct 28 | Boarding Day – PortMiami | USA |
| Oct 29 | At Sea | – |
| Oct 30 | Amber Cove | Dominican Republic |
| Oct 31 | Halloween at Sea | – |
| Nov 1 | Montego Bay | Jamaica |
| Nov 2 | At Sea | – |
| Nov 3 | Belize City | Belize |
| Nov 4 | Cozumel | Mexico |
| Nov 5 | At Sea | – |
| Nov 6 | Return to PortMiami | USA |
Holland America Line – Zuiderdam
Dates: November 8–15, 2025
Homeport: PortMiami, Florida, USA
Ship Facts: 2002 build • Vista Class • 81,769 GT • ~1,916 passengers
My first cruise on Zuiderdam was back in 2013, so this one’s a bit of a reunion. She’s now 23 years old – the third-oldest ship in the Holland America Line fleet – but a classic favorite among loyal fans.
| Date | Port | Country |
| Nov 8 | Boarding Day – PortMiami | USA |
| Nov 9 | Half Moon Cay | The Bahamas |
| Nov 10 | At Sea | – |
| Nov 11 | Ocho Rios | Jamaica |
| Nov 12 | George Town | Cayman Islands |
| Nov 13 | Cozumel | Mexico |
| Nov 14 | At Sea | – |
| Nov 15 | Return to PortMiami | USA |
Holland America Line – Rotterdam
Dates: November 16–December 7, 2025
Homeport: Port Everglades, Fort Lauderdale, Florida, USA
Ship Facts: 2021 build • Pinnacle Class • 99,500 GT • ~2,668 passengers
Three weeks aboard HAL’s flagship Rotterdam with a rare overnight in Aruba, Thanksgiving at sea, and a casino tournament on the second leg. This one’s going to be special and hopefully I win something!
| Date | Port | Country |
| Nov 16 | Boarding Day – Port Everglades | USA |
| Nov 17 | Half Moon Cay | The Bahamas |
| Nov 18 | At Sea | – |
| Nov 19 | At Sea | – |
| Nov 20 | Philipsburg | St. Maarten |
| Nov 21 | Castries | Saint Lucia |
| Nov 22 | Scarborough | Trinidad & Tobago |
| Nov 23 | Bridgetown | Barbados |
| Nov 24 | Pointe-à-Pitre | Guadeloupe |
| Nov 25 | San Juan | Puerto Rico |
| Nov 26 | At Sea | – |
| Nov 27 | At Sea (Thanksgiving) | – |
| Nov 28 | Fort Lauderdale (Turnaround) | USA |
| Nov 29 | At Sea | – |
| Nov 30 | At Sea | – |
| Dec 1 | Willemstad | Curaçao |
| Dec 2–3 | Oranjestad (Overnight) | Aruba |
| Dec 4 | At Sea | – |
| Dec 5 | At Sea | – |
| Dec 6 | Half Moon Cay | The Bahamas |
| Dec 7 | Return to Port Everglades | USA |
Explora Journeys – Explora I
Dates: December 12–29, 2025
Homeport: PortMiami, Florida, USA
Ship Facts: 2023 build • 63,900 GT • ~922 guests • All-suite • All-inclusive luxury
I’m closing out the year on the all-suite Explora I, celebrating Christmas Eve in Antigua and Christmas Day in St. Maarten. With just about a thousand guests onboard, this is going to be absolutely incredible.
| Date | Port | Country |
| Dec 12 | Boarding Day – PortMiami | USA |
| Dec 13 | At Sea | – |
| Dec 14 | At Sea | – |
| Dec 15 | La Romana | Dominican Republic |
| Dec 16 | San Juan | Puerto Rico |
| Dec 17 | Basseterre | St. Kitts & Nevis |
| Dec 18 | Les Trois-Îlets | Martinique |
| Dec 19 | Bequia | St. Vincent & the Grenadines |
| Dec 20 | Kingstown | St. Vincent & the Grenadines |
| Dec 21 | Bridgetown | Barbados |
| Dec 22 | Scarborough | Trinidad & Tobago |
| Dec 23 | Fort-de-France | Martinique |
| Dec 24 | St. John’s (Christmas Eve) | Antigua & Barbuda |
| Dec 25 | Philipsburg (Christmas Day) | St. Maarten |
| Dec 26 | Road Town | British Virgin Islands |
| Dec 27 | At Sea | – |
| Dec 28 | At Sea | – |
| Dec 29 | Return to PortMiami | USA |
Five ships. Four lines. A season full of sea days, new ports, and probably a few too many desserts. So be sure to follow along as this incredible journey unfolds!