Outside of your base cruise fare, there are certain add-ons that you can opt to purchase to enhance your cruising experience. 

You do not need to book spa treatments, once-in-a-lifetime shore excursions, specialty restaurants, or internet packages to have a great cruise. In fact, cruises are some of the most budget-friendly vacations if you elect to utilize everything that is included in your initial fare. 

There is no greater time to start planning your 2024 Alaska cruise vacation than right now! Whether you want a family-friendly Disney Cruise, more upscale experience on a Celebrity Cruises' Edge Class ship, or land based addition with a cruise line sponsored cruisetour, there's no shortage of ships and itineraries to choose from.

If you are like me, you want to start thinking about your next cruise before you even get off of your current one! By booking your next cruise onboard, you might find that you get some pretty sweet perks that get you even more excited for your next adventure! There is nothing better than knowing you got the best possible rate for a cruise vacation. This might allow you to purchase some cruise add-ons that will make your trip extra special!

Room service is a staple to many vacationers. It is your time off, why shouldn't you enjoy breakfast in bed (or better yet, on your private balcony!) before a busy day spent ashore or running around the ship? 

Have you ever had a great travel idea that turned out to be more disastrous than you could have imagined?

A few months ago, I was searching for cheap spring break cruises when I stumbled upon a 2-night sailing from Malaga, Spain to Lisbon, Portugal on Norwegian Sun. The itinerary included one stop in Cadiz, Spain - and best of all, it was priced at just $99 per person.

When you go on a cruise line's website to begin planning your vacation, you may notice that you have a wide range of dates to choose from. You can search from cruises departing the same month or over a year in advance. 

Most cruise lines release new sailings a couple of times per year. Royal Caribbean, for instance, opens up new books in the spring and fall. 

From picking the right cruise line and ship to booking shore excursions and other cruise add-ons, there is a lot that goes into planning your first cruise. 

While taking to friends and family that have sailed before can be helpful, the internet is also full of veteran cruises who are eager to share their best tips that they have learned over the years. 

Whenever first-time cruisers disembark the ship, they often express what they wish they had done differently to make their vacation a little bit smoother. 

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

St. Maarten, an island split between The Netherlands and France, is a popular cruise port on Eastern Caribbean itineraries. At 37 square miles, it is the smallest island in the world that is divided between two nations. The division dates back to March 23, 1648 with the Treaty of Concordia.