We share lots of cruise updates and advice here, and this is a weekly roundup of everything you may have missed from this week.
If you are busy but want to keep up with all the helpful cruise advice we share, this is an easy-to-digest look at the recent articles and updates we've shared
1. Comparing Carnival and Royal Caribbean's private islands!
If you are sailing on a Caribbean cruise with one of the major cruise lines, there is a good chance that one of your stops will be at one of their private destinations.
Carnival Cruise Line and Royal Caribbean, two of the most popular cruise lines in the world, each have their own exclusive cruise stops. Perfect Day at CocoCay located in the Bahamas is Royal’s island, whereas Carnival has an exclusive resort in the Dominican Republic called Amber Cove.
Allie recently visited both of these private destinations this year and compared each experience.
Read more: Carnival Cruise Line's Amber Cove vs. Royal Caribbean’s CocoCay: Which is better?
2. What it's like to sail on Holland America to Alaska
Alaska is a popular cruise destination, with many major cruise lines sailing there each season.
However, one of the best cruise lines to choose for this type of sailing may not be the ones that comes to your mind first. Holland America’s Eurodam ship, which launched in 2007, carries just 2,100 passengers making it relatively tiny when compared against the mega ships of other cruise lines.
Being a smaller ship has its advantages, and Eurodam shines as it allows the destination to be the star of the show. Plus, Holland America Line has been cruising to Alaska for 75 years, which is longer than any other cruise line.
Read more: I tried a Holland America cruise to Alaska. Here's what it's like to sail on this cruise line
3. Hayley tried out NCL's biggest cruise ship and liked these 10 things about it!
After recently sailing onboard Norwegian Encore, Hayley was impressed with the ships's offerings and amenities.
Being one of the newer and largest ships within Norwegian Cruise Line’s Breakway Plus class meant that there are plenty of activities and amenities onboard for her passengers. From the layout, to entertainment, dining and more, there was something to be enjoyed at every moment.
Here are 10 things that she thinks that Norwegian Cruise Line got right with this massive ship.
Read more: 10 Things Norwegian Cruise Line’s largest ship got right
4. Depending on how old your kids are, here are top ship picks!
If you are sailing with kids, it may be hard for you to narrow down a cruise ship that the whole family will enjoy.
With Royal Caribbean’s fleet of 26 (soon to be 27!) ships, they are certain to have a ship that will fit your family's needs when traveling with children and teenagers. With award-winning youth programming, pools, arcades, rock climbing, ice skating and more, there is plenty to choose from when it comes to kid-friendly options.
We broke down the best Royal Caribbean ships for kids by age.
Read more: Best Royal Caribbean ships for kids by age
5. These cruise tips should ensure you have a great Alaska cruise!
Sailing to Alaska is a completely different experience than your typical Caribbean cruise vacation.
From the snow-capped mountains, wildlife, glaciers, and scenery, there is not any comparison to what you will experience on an Alaskan cruise. Like any vacation, it is important for you to research and plan what you want to do and get out of your vacation, and we want to help make that easier for your next Alaskan cruise.
Here are the best Alaska cruise tips to help you have an amazing visit.
Read more: Best Alaska cruise tips to help make an amazing visit
6. Check out the new details for Celebrity's next ship!
Celebrity Cruises is getting closer to introducing their newest ship, Celebrity Ascent, to their fleet, this coming November.
This week, Celebrity Cruises unveiled new details about their upcoming vessel. As they are calling this ship its “newest resort at sea,” it was no surprise that these details included information about what guests can experience on board, from the return of Celebrity favorites to the introduction of firsts for the cruise line.
We gathered everything you need to know about their newest ship.
Read more: Next Celebrity Cruises ship will be its biggest ever and the cruise line revealed new details
7. Comparing Carnival's 2 biggest ships!
Carnival Cruise Line’s newest and biggest ships have taken the industry by storm.
Carnival Mardi Gras and Carnival Celebration offer more than any other Carnival ship has before, including the fun. These ships are 40% larger than all the other Carnival ships, meaning plenty of entertainment, dining, bars, and activities for guests to enjoy onboard.
So how do these two ships stack up against each other? Read on to find out.
Read more: Carnival Celebration vs. Mardi Gras: A complete guide
8. Elizabeth tried out her first MSC cruise
After sailing mainly of Royal Caribbean and Disney Cruise Line, Elizabeth took her first MSC Cruise.
She boarded the MSC Seashore, which is a Seasive EVO ship in Italy and sailed to Italy, Spain, and France. While not sure of what to expect onboard, she was pleased with the value experience of sailing with MSC.
Here are 13 things she loves and hated about the MSC Seashore.
Read more: 13 things I loved and hated onboard MSC Seashore
9. A list of our favorite mocktails!
While cruises are definitely popular when it comes to people enjoying an alcoholic beverage, there are plenty of non-alcoholic or zero-proof drinks for everyone to enjoy.
Aside from the typical offerings of soda and coffee, there are plenty of tropical and popular beverages that can be made non-alcoholic. As an added benefit, these are also cheaper than cocktails.
Here is a list of 10 mocktails to try on your next cruise, so you can enjoy a fruity drink during sail away, too.
Read more: 10 mocktails to try on your next cruise
10. 10 reasons to get off your ship as early as possible on disembarkation day
There is no denying that the worst part of your cruise is when you finally have to get off the ship at the end.
However, there are important steps you should take to be prepared for a smooth disembarkment, and one of those is selecting an early disembarkation time.
Despite ending your vacation a little bit earlier and wheeling your own suitcase, here are 10 reasons that you should get off the ship as early as possible.
Read more: 10 reasons to get off your ship as early as possible on disembarkation day
Nicole Feist
Nicole first fell in love with cruising as a teenager on a family vacation. Since then she's gone on to become a frequent cruiser, and even marrying her husband on a sailing. Living on the Gulf Coast of Florida, you'll find her cruising on the weekends whenever she can.
