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. I booked a Princess cruise to Alaska for $1,147 per person—take a tour of my tiny inside cabin
When booking her next cruise, Jenna typically likes to book inside cabins.
She recently sailed onboard the Royal Princess, and she booked her preferred stateroom. All in for two people, the interior stateroom came to a total of $2,294, making it $1,147 per person. As this was a cruise to Alaska, she felt that this price was reasonable, seeing as it was in the peak of the sailing season.
Having never sailed on Princess before, she wasn’t sure what to expect when she got to her cabin.
Read more: I booked a Princess cruise to Alaska for $1,147 per person—take a tour of my tiny inside cabin
2. MSC Cruises ships by age - from newest to oldest
Since entering service in 1988, MSC Cruises is one of the largest cruise lines in the world today.
With 22 ships in their fleet, and 3 more on order, MSC Cruises has a ship that will appeal to everyone. Ranging from 65,000 to 215,000 gross registered tons, their wide range of ships offer a great cruising experience.
Here is a breakdown on every MSC Cruises ship from newest to oldest to help you choose the perfect one for your next cruise vacation.
Read more: MSC Cruises ships by age - from newest to oldest
3. I am preparing for a British Isles cruise in the fall: here’s what I think I should pack
While Hayley has cruised extensively, she will soon be embarking on her first cruise to the United Kingdom this October.
Sailing onboard Norwegian Cruise Line’s Norwegian Star, she will spend 10 days voyaging to and from Southampton, England. Her itinerary visits England, Scotland, Ireland, Northern Ireland, and Isle of Man. With these destinations being known for being rainy and cooler, she has to come up with a new packing strategy, rather than packing what she would for a warm Caribbean cruise.
Here is how she is planning, preparing, and packing for her exciting cruise to the United Kingdom.
Read more: I am preparing for a British Isles cruise in the fall: here’s what I think I should pack
4. How to beat the crowds on your cruise ship
With cruise ships ranging from 2,000 to nearly 7,000 (with the launch of the highly anticipated Icon of the Seas), cruises are filled with people.
However, while those numbers may seem large, they don’t mean that you will be stuck in massive crowds for your entire vacation. Sure, some things such as embarkation and the coffee shop in the morning may have more people, but there are still ways for you to keep crowds to a minimum.
Here are our top tips on how to avoid the cross on your next cruise.
Read more: How to beat the crowds on your cruise ship
5. I only had 4 days in Iceland on my European cruise. Here's why I regret not taking a land-based trip
Widely considered one of the best parts of cruising is being able to visit multiple locations in one trip.
However, some times you can leave your port day feeling like you wanted to spend more time in that location. Allie recently returned from a 12-night sailing from Amsterdam to Iceland, featuring 4 full days in Iceland with an overnight in Reykjavik. She left her cruise feeling like she didn’t have enough time in these ports.
Here is why she regrets not taking a land based trip instead of a cruise to Iceland.
Read more: I only had 4 days in Iceland on my European cruise. Here's why I regret not taking a land-based trip
6. Which is the best Royal Caribbean ship if you're cruising with kids?
Cruising is a great vacation type when traveling with families.
With all of the exciting features, amenities and activities onboard, there is sure to be something to do for every age. However, certain cruise lines tend to cater more inclusively towards children, as well as the adults.
Royal Caribbean is known for their larger-than-life ships, filled with activities from skydiving and surfing, to waterslides, pools, and more. It may be hard to narrow down which ship from their large fleet is the best to take your children on.
Here are our top pics for the best Royal Caribbean cruises for families.
Read more: Which is the best Royal Caribbean ship if you're cruising with kids?
7. Why sea days are a good thing with Norwegian Cruise Line
Most cruise itineraries will feature at least one day at sea.
For those that have not cruised before, you may be left wondering what you should do on those days and if they are a good use of their vacation time. With cruise ships now offering more features, amenities, and activities more than ever, sea days are the perfect way to balance out your busy port days.
Here is why we think sea days should be savored when sailing with Norwegian Cruise Line.
Read more: Why sea days are a good thing with Norwegian Cruise Line
8. How much does it really cost to take a luxury cruise?
It’s not often that people associate cruising with a luxury vacation.
However, there are luxury cruise lines that exist! Of course, the first thing that may come to your mind when thinking about these cruise lines is what their cruise fares will cost. Hayley recently sailed onboard a Viking Cruises vacation, after being intrigued by Viking’s focus on immersing their guests within the destination.
What is so special about luxury cruise lines, and do they really offer their guests anything more than what can be found on a mainstream line? Hayley breaks this all down for us.
Read more: How much does it really cost to take a luxury cruise?
9. I took my first solo on MSC Cruises. After 4 nights, here are the pros and cons of cruising alone
Have you ever had the opportunity to cruise solo?
Chantal took her very first solo cruise onboard MSC Divina. Prior to this sailing, she was not sure how she would or would not enjoy the experience of cruising alone, as she was used to sailing alongside her family. She quickly learned that there are both pros and cons to cruising solo.
She lets us in on how her first solo cruise went, and what you need to know before going on your first solo cruise.
Read more: I took my first solo on MSC Cruises. After 4 nights, here are the pros and cons of cruising alone
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.
