I’ve seen somebody break a cruise rule on almost every cruise I’ve been on. Some are the type that just make you roll your eyes, others are things people knowingly or accidentally do that are against the rules. The worrying thing is that many of the people I’ve seen make these mistakes didn’t even realise … Read more
When booking your cruise, choosing the type of cabin is one of the most important decisions you will have to make. The type of cabin will have a big impact on your cruise experience. If you have a balcony cabin you might spend time out on your balcony, enjoying the scenery. If you are in … Read more
People often ask me whether they will feel any movement when they are onboard a cruise ship. It may surprise you to hear that I am one of the most motion-sick people you are ever likely to meet. I can feel sick in cars and buses, as well as on ships. I can even feel … Read more
I have taken two wonderful “Barge, Bike and Cruise” sailings on an ex-1930s cargo ship named Merlijn. Both involved cycling up to 50km/31 miles each day through the German countryside. They really were a test of my fitness and endurance, but I am so glad I went. They were some of the most memorable cruises … Read more
With most cruise lines, you can check in online prior to your cruise, and select a check in time. How long before your cruise you can do this varies from one line to another, but how do you know which is a good check in time to choose? Your check-in time is the time you … Read more
People often ask me, can I bring my cat or dog with me when I cruise? I have a cat, Hudson – and a dog, Rolo – and I know how hard it is to be parted from them! In this article, we look at if, and when dogs and cats are allowed onboard cruise … Read more
There have been lots of news headlines recently about cruisers from the UK being caught out by the “passport 10-year rule”. In this article, we look at what this rule is, and discover why it is causing some passengers to be denied boarding onto their cruise ship. What Is The Issue? British travellers used to … Read more
I booked a luxury cruise on the Uniworld river ship, SS La Venezia, in a sale. Normally this trip would have been out of my price range, but I got a really good deal. I was so excited to find out what luxury cruising was about. We sailed around Venice and the Islands in the … Read more
Marella is a British cruise line that offers good value all-inclusive cruise packages, with flights, transfers, and drinks included as standard. I’ve cruised with them 5x! As Marella is a British cruise line, daily service charges and gratuities are not added to your onboard account. Gratuities are included within the cruise fare. If you sail … Read more
Cruises are great! They suit so many people, and I am not surprised that millions choose to cruise every year. Even if you are a regular cruiser, there might be certain costs that could catch you out. In this article, we look at things that you need to look out for that could cost extra. … Read more
If you have children, grandchildren, or other children in the family, you might be wondering whether a cruise would be a good option for your family holiday/ vacation. I have been cruising since I was a child, and now I take my nieces on cruises. They love it as much as I did. I also … Read more
Norway is one of my favourite places to cruise to – I have returned again and again. The weather can be unpredictable, to say the least, so you need to be prepared for all eventualities. If you are planning a summer cruise to Norway, you may be wondering what you need to pack. In this … Read more
If you’ve ever booked a cruise, you might have wondered what the cruise line is actually spending your money on. Of course, costs and profits may vary from year to year, but these figures are based on cruise line financial statements. If you paid a typical cruise fare of £1,000 – this is roughly how … Read more
I have sailed on many older cruise ships that started their lives as cruise ships for different Cruise Lines The largest cruise companies, like Royal Caribbean and Norwegian Cruise Line, regularly introduce newer, larger ships to their fleets. They can then sell off any older ones. They want to have the biggest ships with the … Read more
When you book a cruise, you automatically agree to the terms and conditions of the cruise line – but most people say they have never read about or even knew of many of these conditions. You certainly can’t blame passengers for not sifting through the dozens of pages of legal jargon – I certainly never … Read more
In this post, I interview Rebbecca, who had to cut short her cruise due to a family emergency back home. She was travelling with her young son and had to disembark the cruise in Hamburg, Germany. Please note all opinions in this post are Rebbecca’s. Which Cruise Were You On? I was on MSC Euribia … Read more
This review is based on my experience of nine MSC cruises, ten Norwegian cruises and five with Royal Caribbean. I will compare my cruising experiences below. The differences are related to the following: #1 Languages Spoken Onboard Norwegian / Royal Caribbean If you cruise with NCL/Royal Caribbean, you will rarely hear announcements in any language … Read more