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Emma Cruises on Marella Voyager

Taking Your First Cruise in 2026? 67 Things You Need to Know

21/02/202619/01/2026

Are you considering your first cruise in 2026 or 2027? This article will guide you from pre-cruise through to disembarkation, helping you avoid costly, time-consuming mistakes. I have included tips from seasoned cruisers on a range of cruise-related topics. Use … Read more

Tags cruise tips, disembarkation, embarkation, first time cruising, packing
Celebrity infinity main dining room Emma Cruises White Dress

Is It Possible to Avoid Table Sharing on a Cruise Line Where It’s The Default?

07/01/2026

I’ve been on cruises with Fred Olsen, P&O, MSC and Ambassador where I have been assigned a shared table with strangers for dinner. These aren’t the only cruise lines that do it but some cruise lines like NCL and Marella … Read more

Tags Ambassador Cruise Line, Cunard, fixed time dining, Fred Olsen, MSC, table sharing, traditional
Ambassador Ambience upgrade bid.

Bidding for a Cruise Upgrade: Scam or Success?

07/01/2026

With many cruise lines, like MSC, Royal Caribbean and Cunard, you can bid for an upgrade to your cruise cabin. The idea is that you offer to pay more to upgrade your cabin category, but not the full amount the … Read more

Tags Ambassador Cruise Line, bid to upgrade, cabin upgrade, money saving
Emma cruises with phone, Ambassador Ambience

Cruise Wi-Fi: 6 Things People Don’t Realise Until They Try to Use It at Sea

07/01/2026

Cruise Wi-Fi has improved massively in recent years, especially with the introduction of the “Starlink” network- but that doesn’t mean that it always works the way people expect. Most passenger frustration seems to stem from the fact that they think … Read more

Tags cruise tips, money saving cruise tips, Starlink, WiFi packages
Disney Magic Promenade Deck

Is It Possible to ‘Fall’ Off a Cruise Ship? (Real Pictures of Safety Barriers)

07/01/2026

I keep seeing news stories about people “falling” from cruise ships. I always wonder “What on earth were they doing to manage that?” I am sure I am not alone in that reaction! Anyone who has ever taken a cruise … Read more

Tags falling overboard, heath and safety, man overboard, safety at sea
Emma Cruises ,Ambassador Ambience ship

My First Cruise With This Line Was a Disaster… So I Tried Again

07/01/2026

I’ve just disembarked a cruise that I honestly never thought I’d be taking again. The first time I tried this trip, it went very wrong. We were just four hours into the cruise when the Captain announced that the entire … Read more

Tags Ambassador, cancelled, Christmas markets cruise, traditional cruise line
Marella Voyager ship with Emma Cruises

I Booked The Same Cruise Ship Twice – Here’s Why

23/12/2025

Note: This post is sponsored by Marella Cruises. All thoughts and opinions are my own based on my 8+ Cruises with Marella. Lots of people like to cruise on the newest, flashiest cruise ships when they are first launched. Others … Read more

Tags all inclusive, Canary Islands, marella, Marella Voyager, Mediterranean Cruise
Emma Cruises drinking on MSC

Buying a Drinks Package? 5 Things Many People Don’t Realise Until It’s Too Late

08/12/2025

Cruise lines often try to give you the impression that you need to buy a drinks package to get the most value and enjoyment out of your cruise. Drinks packages sound simple, pay once and then you can drink what you like … Read more

Tags drinks packages, pay as you go, service charges, Ts&Cs
Crew onstage

Removing Cruise Gratuities to “Tip in Person” Doesn’t Work – It’s Unfair and Here’s Why

08/12/2025

British people, Australians, and Americans have very different views on tipping. In the USA, tipping is expected because it makes up a large per cent of a person’s wages. Whereas in the UK and Australia, except in a few circumstances, … Read more

Tags all inclusive cruising, auto gratuities, gratuties
Ocean view cabin

Porthole vs Picture Window: The Big Difference Between Two “Oceanview” Cabins

08/12/2025

I have grown to love oceanview cabins over the years, and seem to be booking them more and more often. They can provide a good upgrade from an inside cabin for a comparatively small cost. Often, the price of an … Read more

Tags cabin location, money saving cruise tips, Oceanview cabin, Porthole
Norwegian coalmine excursion, Emma Cruises

5 Cruise Excursions I’ll Never Forget (For Totally Different Reasons!)

08/12/2025

I have been lucky enough to go on quite a few excursions while on cruises, some with the cruise line and some independently. If there is somewhere you particularly want to visit that isn’t near the port area, excursions can … Read more

Tags Alaska, Cruiseline excursions, Germany, Norway, river cruise, Svalbard, Top 5
Fred Olsen Borealis and Emma Cruises

I Took a Mystery Cruise with a Traditional Cruise Line (Nobody Knew The Itinerary!)

01/12/2025

I’ve just disembarked one of the world’s strangest cruises, where nobody onboard had any idea where the ship was sailing to, we only found out each day when we arrived in port. This cruise was with a traditional cruise line, … Read more

Tags Borealis, bruges, Fred Olsen, Hamburg, Mystery Cruise
Toad in the Hole - Fred Olsen

7 Very British Touches I Noticed on My Last Cruise

01/12/202526/11/2025

I recently took a mystery cruise with the British cruiseline, Fred. Olsen. We took a five-day trip from Portsmouth, and we had no idea where we would be sailing to. The ship itself felt surprisingly British – small and slightly … Read more

Tags Borealis, British cruise line, British experience, Fred Olsen
Emma Cruises Carnival Miracle ship

Watch Out For Cruise Sales at These Times of the Year (Many People Miss Them)

26/11/2025

Cruise lines run sales throughout the year, not just on Black Friday. Knowing when these sales are likely to happen will help you understand people’s typical cruise booking patterns. It will make you realise that these well-advertised sales aren’t always … Read more

Tags Black Friday, Booking, cruise deals, Sales, Wave Season

A Simple Guide to Portsmouth Cruise Port (Location, Parking and More)

01/12/202526/11/2025

Recently, I sailed from Portsmouth – and I was pleasantly surprised by how straightforward it was. It’s a smaller cruise port than Southampton, but that can actually make things easier and simpler. Also, it is about 15 miles closer to … Read more

Tags cruise info, Fred Olsen, Portsmouth cruise terminal, Potsmouth, UK cruise, UK departure
I discovered a Roman Amphitheatre in Spain Emma cruises

4 Reasons I Don’t Often Book Excursions Through the Cruise Line

25/11/2025

Cruiseline excursions can be great in some situations. If you are a first-time cruiser, a nervous traveller, or are a long way from home in an unfamiliar country, they can be the perfect solution. Most of the time, I either … Read more

Tags cruise globe, Cruiseline excursions, excursions, independent excursions, money saving
Helicopter evacuation Mystery cruise Fred Olsen

Our Cruise Needed an Emergency Helicopter Evacuation – Options & More

25/11/2025

It was a totally normal, relaxing afternoon onboard Fred.Olsen’s Borealis. I was on what Fred. Olsen calls a “Mystery Cruise.” Passengers had no idea where the five-day journey would take them – they only found out when the ship arrived … Read more

Tags Borealis, Fred Olsen, Medical Evacuation, Travel Insurance
Emma cruises and Christmas reindeer

I’ve Tried Christmas Cruises With British, American and Italian Lines – Here’s How They Compare

25/11/2025

I love a Christmas cruise! Being away at Christmas takes away a lot of the stress that planning and preparing for a Christmas at home can bring. I only have to visit the supermarket in the run-up to Christmas, and … Read more

Tags christmas, christmas cruise, MSC, norwegian, p&o
Emma Cruises top deck QM2

I’ve Tried Every Seasickness Remedy – Here’s What Actually Works For Me

16/11/2025

I took a Transatlantic crossing onboard the last Ocean Liner at sea, Queen Mary 2, in winter. That probably wasn’t a very sensible plan, as I know that I get seasick when things get rough. I had always wanted to … Read more

Tags cabin location, Hints and tips, medication, medications, Seasickness, seasickness patches

I Tried The Seasickness Patch: My Reaction Was Scary and I’ll Never Do It Again

16/11/2025

People are often surprised to find that I occasionally get seasick. Not just seasick, I am a travel-sick person in general – I can feel ill in cars, buses, and coaches – and I have done so all my life. … Read more

Tags Norwegian Aqua, Seasickness, seasickness patches, side effects, vision
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Hey hey hey, I'm Emma and I LOVE cruising! I took my first cruise when I was 11 and I've been hooked ever since. I create cruise content across YouTube, this website and my social accounts, all with the aim of helping you to find, and take your perfect cruise. 48,000 people receive my best cruise tips, insights and guides every week. You can join them for free by clicking here.

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