I cruised on both Symphony of the Seas, an Oasis Class ship, and Legend of the Seas, an Icon Class ship, in the last couple of years. Icon Class is newer and larger, but it clearly builds on many of … Read more
I haven’t personally cruised with Holland America yet, but my parents recently sailed on Nieuw Statendam and stayed in the cheapest, guaranteed inside cabin. My Mum very kindly shared this review with me. Inside cabins are usually the cheapest way … Read more
Marella cruises often look more expensive upfront than some other cruise lines. But then you need to consider just how much is included in the cruise fare. You might get what you think is a cheap, bargain cruise, but by … Read more
I’ve just disembarked a cruise where I spent 8 days in a balcony cabin that faced inside on the world’s biggest cruise ship. The cabin did have outside space, but it had no privacy and no view of the ocean … Read more
When a cruise line says a sailing is “sold out”, it generally means all available cabins have been sold. It does not necessarily mean every available bed on the ship will be occupied. Cruise ships have two very different capacity … Read more
On my recent Legend of the Seas cruise, my port stop at Naples was unexpectedly cancelled. The Captain made an announcement in the evening that came directly through the speakers in our cabin. Because I have travel insurance that includes … Read more
There is no official age when a cruise ship is suddenly considered “old”. Personally, if a ship is under 10 years, I think of it as a new ship. Between 10 and 20 years, I would think of it as … Read more
Royal Caribbean’s new and exciting Legend of the Seas is not the first ship to carry that name. The original Legend of the Seas launched in 1995 and now sails as Marella Discovery 2. The new Legend of the Seas … Read more
Royal Caribbean’s new Legend of the Seas is not the first ship in the fleet to use that name. The original Legend of the Seas launched in 1995 and left Royal Caribbean’s fleet in 2017. She was not scrapped or … Read more
The fantastic new mega ship, Legend of the Seas, has an unusual permanent crew member – a young Golden Retriever called Skipper. Skipper’s official job title is “Chief Dog Officer”. I was hoping I could meet her sometime during my … Read more
I’ve just disembarked a cruise on a cruise ship that divides opinion like no other. Some people describe her as the world’s ugliest cruise ship, but what she looks like from the outside is just the start of why she’s … Read more
Norwegian Epic was not originally intended to be a unique ship. Norwegian ordered two ships under its ambitious “F3” project, with an option for a third. Unfortunately, a major disagreement with the shipyard resulted in the second ship being cancelled. … Read more
I recently went on a cruise, and I stayed in one of the world’s strangest cabins. The design is so unusual that there are no other cruise ships with this layout at all. Even the cruise line that owns this … Read more
I’ve just disembarked a cruise where I spent 4 days on a luxury yacht. We sailed out from central London in the middle of the night, and even though I’ve been cruising since I was 11 years old, this cruise … Read more
I’ve just disembarked a cruise where I spent 3 days in the cheapest cabin on a luxury yacht. It was the most expensive cruise I’ve ever booked, coming in at around $860/£640 per night for this room for two people. … Read more
Windstar Cruises can be confusing because it’s often described as “all-inclusive”, even though not everything is included in the standard, base fare. Windstar are very different from mainstream cruise lines, because many things that normally cost extra elsewhere are already … Read more
Both Windstar and Viking are often grouped together as “luxury cruises,” but they actually offer very different experiences. One feels more like a small yacht while the other feels more like a small, luxury cruise ship. I have sailed with … Read more
When I recently sailed on Windstar Cruises’ Star Pride, I was stunned by the speed of the WiFi. Cruise ship WiFi is often thought of as slow and unreliable, and often that is the case. I’m normally impressed if cruise … Read more
Normally, when I book a cruise, I book the cheapest cabin I can find. If it’s right at the end of the ship or under a nightclub, I don’t mind. I’ve just disembarked a cruise though, where I did something … Read more
I’ve taken quite a few Cunard cruises over the years. I have sailed on three out of their four ships and tried a range of itineraries. I know their style very well. In fact, it was the shock of my … Read more