Tagged: cruise

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…

2023 in Review: These Top Travel Trends Were Hot on Frommer's

As 2023 draws to a close, a look back at the year’s headlines shows it was an eventful one in travel—and much of what happened wasn’t great. Wars raged. The planet roasted. Prices…

The Best Cruise Lines with Solo Cabins (and the Best Cruises for Singles)

It used to cost a small fortune if you wanted a cruise cabin to yourself, as you were basically paying the price for two people. But then solo cruising became one of the hottest…

Active River Cruises: 6 Routes for Younger and Adventurous Passengers

Heidi Sarna is the cofounder of QuirkyCruise.com, a guide to small-ship cruising.Having taken river cruises all over the world—Southeast Asia, India, Europe, and North America—I…

These Northern Lights Cruises in Norway Guarantee You'll See the Aurora Borealis

Travelers who long to spot the northern lights should consider booking a trip with Hurtigruten. The company, which has been shipping cargo and passengers along the coast of Norway…

A Cruise on Maine’s Coast with American Cruise Lines: Our Review

Heidi Sarna is the cofounder of QuirkyCruise.com, a guide to small-ship cruising.From popular Pacific Northwest routes along the Columbia and Snake rivers to sailings on the…

Charges for Gratuities on Royal Caribbean Going Up—as the Company Reports Huge Profits

Royal Caribbean quietly increased its automatic gratuity charge this week. Starting November 11, the cruise line's service charge added to each passenger's bill will be $18 per day…

Queen Mary 2 Transatlantic Crossing Review: What It's Like to Sail This Classic Journey

For North Americans, there aren't many journeys more mythic than a transatlantic crossing on an ocean liner.After all, the modern societies of both Canada and the United States…

UnCruise in Alaska: Seeing the State’s Wild Splendor by Small Ship

I’ve cruised to Alaska more than half a dozen times on ships of all sizes and have always preferred smaller vessels for the intimate access they provide to the state’s supercharged…

Norwegian Cruise Line to Add Solo Cabins to All of Its Ships by January

Norwegian Cruise Line, which led the cruise industry by designing special cabins for people traveling on their own starting in 2010, has announced that as of January 4, 2024, all of…

Small-Ship Mediterranean Cruise: 9 Things to Remember About Life on Board

If you want a Greek islands experience that's intimate, explores lesser-seen sun-and-sand destinations, and experiences Greek culture at its best, then a small-ship adventure might…

Norwegian Viva Ship Tour: Pluses, Minuses, and Oh-So-Many Upcharges

September 5, 2023 The second installment in Norwegian Cruise Line's Prima class of ships is called Norwegian Viva, but the vessel is so similar to its predecessor the newcomer might…

No, Cruise Ships Are Not Banned from Amsterdam

Another week, another inaccurate travel headline that seems designed for clicks.In recent days, you might have read that Amsterdam's city council has outlawed cruise ships. BBC News:…

Can Passengers Bring Cannabis on Cruise Ships? What to Know About Pot and Cruising

Now that recreational marijuana is permitted in nearly half of U.S. states and counting, a reasonable assumption might be that pot is legal to use on a cruise ship that boards in a…

The Best Iceland Cruises: 11 Small-Ship Lines You Should Know

While you can tour Iceland on a land-based trip, seeing the island of fire and ice by ship offers a special perspective, giving passengers front-row seats to the fjord-cut coastline…

Alaska Small-Ship Cruises: 7 Options for Up-Close Adventures

One of my first small-ship cruises ever was in southeast Alaska on the 102-passenger Spirit of Endeavour, which sails today as the Safari Endeavour for UnCruise Adventures. That…

Are Small Cruise Ships Better than Big Ones? 5 Facts That Will Convince You

After taking more than 125 cruises on ships of all sizes, from 12 passengers all the way up to 5,000 (and that’s not including the crew), I know a thing or two about the differences…

Alcohol-Free Vacations: How to Join the Sober Travel Trend

A high proportion of well-established vacation rituals seem to revolve around alcohol, from the preflight tipple in the airport lounge to the post-dinner nightcap at the hotel…

The Best Southeast Asia Cruises: 4 Great Small Ship Itineraries

I’ve sailed on more than 125 cruises and have always gravitated toward the smaller ships (under 300 passengers) for the uncrowded, up-close-and-personal experience they provide. That’s…

What to Expect When You Take a Baby on a Cruise

When my husband and I took our 16-month-old baby on a cruise for the first time with Disney Cruise Line in December, we thought we had everything figured out by the end of that trip.…

The World's Busiest Cruise Port Has Been Dethroned

What cruise port would you say is the busiest in the world? Last Friday, a new winner claimed the heavyweight belt based on 2022 passenger data. It's not New York City. It's not…

Tips on Ships: Everything You Need to Know About Cruise Gratuities

Figuring out which service employees you should tip—and how much you should give—is a perennial head scratcher in travel. To help remove some of the guesswork, many cruise lines now…

You Can Now Cruise the Galápagos Islands on Princess Grace’s Honeymoon Yacht

The yacht used for the honeymoon of Hollywood star–turned–princess Grace Kelly and Prince Rainier III of Monaco after their wedding in 1956 has been repurposed to give cruisers the…