Virgin Voyages have vowed to do cruising ‘differently’, and as a result, many have questioned whether cruise ships by Virgin Voyages will have casinos onboard. There was little mention of casinos in their initial advertising campaign. I recently took a cruise onboard Scarlet Lady, so I have firsthand experience of the Casino onboard. Do Virgin … Read more
Most cruise lines either include gratuities or they don’t. MSC are slightly different in that they do include gratuities for some people but not for others. In this post, we will cover who has gratuities included within the cruise fare, and how much these gratuities may be if you do have to pay extra. Do … Read more
The terms “Ocean liner” and “Cruise Ship” are often used interchangeably, but actually they are different things. Although the two share a number of similarities there are also some fundamental differences. What Is The Difference Between a Cruise Ship and an Ocean Liner? Ocean liners are designed to complete a journey from A to B … Read more
If you are considering a cruise with Marella you may be wondering if formal nights are part of the cruise experience. I’ve been on many Marella cruises, and I am always pleasantly surprised by how relaxed the atmosphere and dress codes are. That said, many guests dress up and if you wish to, you won’t … Read more
If you are a smoker (or want to avoid smoke when you cruise) you may be wondering which cruise lines allow smoking on their balconies. I’ve personally cruised on cruise lines where smoking on balconies is allowed Can You Smoke on Cruise Ship Balconies? Four cruise lines still allow you to smoke on their ship’s … Read more
On most cruise lines, an automatic gratuity is added to your onboard account to cover staff tips. Increasingly, cruise lines are including gratuities in the cruise fare. I’ve cruised with a number of lines that include gratuities, and I much prefer this. In this post, we will look at the cruise lines that include gratuities … Read more
If you are considering a cruise with Costa cruise line you might be wondering what is included in the cruise fare. I have taken two Costa Cruises, one on Costa Luminosa ( now Carnival Luminosa) and the much newer, larger ship, Costa Smeralda. Costa has really upped their game with the newer ships, offering modern … Read more
Cruises are often advertised as ‘all-inclusive’ but this all-inclusive fare rarely includes alcohol. There are a number of cruise lines, however, that do. In this post, we will be looking at the cruise lines that include alcohol as standard in the cruise fare. Many cruise lines do offer drinks packages that, when purchased in advance, … Read more
If you are considering a cruise on Norwegian Encore you may be wondering how she compares to Norwegian Breakaway and Getaway. I’ve sailed on all three ships, and in this post will talk about the differences and similarities between each. How Does Norwegian Encore Compare to Breakaway & Getaway? Norwegian Encore is very similar to … Read more
I’ve been cruising with Norwegian Cruise Line since I was a child, the thing that really keeps me coming back time and time again is the flexible approach to dining. I love the lack of dress codes and the variety of food available onboard Norwegian Ships If you’re considering your first cruise with Norwegian Cruise … Read more
If you are considering a cruise with Virgin Voyages, you may be wondering what the cabins are like. I’ve just returned from a cruise onboard Scarlet Lady, staying in a Sea Terrace (balcony) cabin. Most elements are almost identical to that of an ocean view, and inside the cabin, so this post is also relevant … Read more
If you are planning a cruise on Norwegian Encore you may be wondering what the difference is between a Mini-Suite Balcony cabin and a Standard Balcony cabin. I was lucky enough to cruise on Norwegian Encore in a Mini-Suite Balcony cabin. I was also able to tour a Standard Balcony Cabin, during this post, we … Read more
If you are taking a cruise with Celestyal Cruises, you may be wondering what the dress code onboard is. I took my first cruise with Celestyal a couple of years ago and had many questions regarding what to wear. I’m hoping to get back on another Celestyal cruise very soon! In this post, we will … Read more
On cruises with Royal Caribbean, P&O, and Cunard it is possible to use Tesco Clubcard points to pay for your cruise. The value of the Clubcard points are usually doubled, meaning that £1 worth of Clubcard points will usually pay for £2 worth of cruise. Which Cruise Lines Accept Tesco Clubcard Points as Payment? Royal … Read more
When I took my first Costa cruise I didn’t purchase a drinks package. That was a big mistake for me. When I took my second Costa cruise on Costa Smeralda, one of the first things I did when I got on board was buy a soft drinks package. Costa Cruises even charges for water in … Read more
If you are considering a cruise you may be wondering how much Mediterranean cruises ACTUALLY cost. I’ve been on 3 Mediterranean cruises and have spent a lot of time researching the cheapest ways to cruise. In this post we will look at the prices of Mediterranean cruises on the following cruise lines: Costa Cruises, Marella … Read more
If you are looking to book a cruise you may have come across “Repositioning” cruises. Repositioning cruises offer great value for money but they start and end in different places, so are not always the most convenient option. I have been on a few repositioning cruises and in this post, we will explore what a … Read more
If you have been on a cruise you have probably seen a member of staff called the Cruise Director on board. You may be wondering who they are and what they do on board the ship. To answer these questions I interviewed a cruise director who has worked on multiple Royal Caribbean ships and surveyed … Read more
I was invited by Saga to join them on a Danube river cruise. We cruised from Budapest to Bucharest onboard the Filia Rheni and had an amazing time. Despite doing my research before the cruise I found very little information regarding dress codes. In this post, I will share some examples of what I wore … Read more
Have you ever considered booking a mystery cruise? There are many advantages to booking a cruise where you don’t know the full itinerary – but there are some disadvantages too. In this post, we will look at what types of mystery cruises are available and look at the benefits/drawbacks of a cruise like this. What … Read more