Tagged: cruise

Douro River Cruise: Our Review of Uniworld’s Trip Through Portugal’s Top Wine Region

Heidi Sarna is the co-founder of QuirkyCruise.com, a guide to small-ship cruising.The Douro River starts in north-central Spain and zigzags some 500 miles into Portugal before…

Free Cruises for Casino Lovers: How Gamblers Get Invited to Cruise for Free

If you’re the kind of cruise passenger who loves finding generous discounts, you might want to take a moment before reading this next sentence. You’ve almost certainly sailed…

Virgin Voyages Offers Free Cruises for Young Adults Traveling with a Parent

Virgin Voyages made a splashy entrance into the cruise market a few years ago, but at the worst moment imaginable: The line's first cruise was originally scheduled for April 1,…

This Carnival Cruise Customer Service Scam Cost a Family Their $900 Vacation

We've warned you before about travel scams involving fraudulent phone numbers for airlines' customer service call centers. Passengers fall prey to that con when they look up an…

Holland America’s Standby Program: Is This the Best Deal in Cruising?

Last summer, Holland America Line rolled out an enticing, novel proposition for cruisers. In exchange for deep discounts, uber-flexible, adventurous travelers can pay upfront to be…

The Real Reason Cruise Ship Cabin TVs Don't Carry the Big Networks

The minute you step aboard a cruise, you're entering a bubble. Your phone calls cease, your e-mails go unchecked, and day-to-day pressures can't reach you. A good cruise is like a…

Silver Nova Cruise Ship Review: What Silversea's All-Inclusive Luxury Cruising Is Like

June 3, 2024 Compared to mainstream cruises with their upcharges and theme-park-esque gimmicks, all-inclusive luxury cruises definitely have their charms. The staff knows your name and…

11 Ways to Find a Cheap Cruise: The Secrets of Cruise Discounts in 2024

Bag a shoulder season deal In travel, shoulder season is the period between peak season and low season, and you’ll find it in cruising, too. Cruise lines don’t only offer consistently…

Where is Everybody? "Humanless” Customer Service is Dominating Travel. Can We Be Heard as Consumers?

None of us voted on this, but like it or not, there’s been a tremendous shift in how we interact with travel companies. Speaking to a real live person can be tedious, time-consuming,…

Sun Princess Cruise Ship Review: What We Love—and What Needs Work

May 8, 2024 Sun Princess, the latest addition to the Princess Cruises fleet, is the line’s largest ship to date, weighing in at 177,882 gross tons and able to accommodate 4,300…

Can I Cruise with Just a Driver's License?

Despite tightened modern security requirements, there's a loophole that allows American passengers to cruise the Caribbean and other destinations without using a passport.In some…

Caribbean Cruise Ports Where a Resort Day Pass Could Be Your Best Bet

March 28, 2024 If you’re a frequent cruiser, chances are you’re going to visit a few cruise ports in the Caribbean more than once. And even if it’s a new-to-you port of call, the town…

4 River Cruises in India That Will Wow You

Heidi Sarna is the co-founder of QuirkyCruise.com, a guide to small-ship cruising.India is a spectacular destination, but it can also be a challenging and overwhelming place to…

Planning a Cruise: Follow This Timeline for Booking Dinner and Activity Reservations

Timing is everything when it comes to planning a cruise vacation. Once you’ve decided on the ship and itinerary and have made the down payment, the next step is knowing when to book…

This World-Famous Destination Will Soon Cost $200 Just to Enter

Inflation is pushing up prices across the board, even in one of the world's most pristine natural destinations.While it may be demoralizing to get fewer Froot Loops despite a higher…

Carnival to Cruisers: You Know We Can See You Naked, Right?

Carnival Cruise Line Brand Ambassador John Heald is paid to take lots of Carnival cruises and spend his days responding to cruise nuts on Facebook. You'll see that as either the best…

Cheap Cruises in 2024: Fewer Discounts Than Usual, but Here Are 9 Strategies for Deals

The cruise industry is reporting record-breaking bookings this year, with many ships sailing at full capacity. Executives at cruise line after cruise line, including the multiple…

No, That Norwegian Cruise Line Ship Never Had Cholera Aboard

You might have seen headlines like this earlier in the week about Norwegian Cruise Line's Norwegian Dawn, which reported that some 20 passengers were feeling ill:"Thousands stranded on…

Cruises with Concierge Levels: What Do You Get? And Is It Worth the Splurge?

Luxurious accommodations, upscale amenities, and a concierge to book all your reservations and shore excursions—does that sound like your idea of a perfect cruise vacation? Believe it…

Dining on a Cruise: The 10 Best Tips and Tricks

Dining on today’s cruise ships is much more exciting than it was even a few years ago. Cruise lines are collaborating with renowned chefs and creating innovative culinary venues.…

More Trouble for American Queen Voyages: Now Agents Are Boycotting It

Update:, Feb. 23, 2024 American Queen Voyages has ceased operations. Find out more about that here.Even though American Queen Voyages' small-boat, multi-day cruises on the waterways of…

Perfect Day at CocoCay, Bahamas: What You'll Pay, What to Pack at Royal Caribbean's Private Island

LAST UPDATED: February 5, 2024Cruise ships have competed for years to come up with the wildest new onboard thrills. But with the newly invigorated CocoCay, Royal Caribbean has…

Icon of the Seas Doesn't Have Enough Lifeboats—on Purpose

Megaship cruise line Royal Caribbean is getting a lot of hype this month as it begins sailings on its gargantuan new Icon of the Seas, the largest cruise ship ever built. And this ship…

Star Clippers’ Cruise Along Panama and Costa Rica: What to Expect

Heidi Sarna is the co-founder of QuirkyCruise.com, a guide to small-ship cruising.For more than 30 years, Star Clippers has offered small-ship cruising in the Caribbean,…

Celebrity Ascent Review: How Is the Celebrity Cruises Formula Holding Up?

Celebrity Cruises' newest ship, the Celebrity Ascent, entered service at the end of 2023, bound for Eastern and Western Caribbean sailings through its first winter season, then heading…