You aren't forced off the ship on port days. Whether you've been to that specific destination before or want a rest day, you're free to stay on board when your ship is in port. 

In fact, staying on the ship is a great way to enjoy the amenities with fewer crowds. Additionally, some ships offer special activities and deals for those who remain onboard. For example, if you want a relaxing afternoon in the spa, you can often save money by booking a treatment on a port day. Alternatively, you may want to enjoy the pool deck with fewer crowds compared to a busy sea day. 

In addition to the base fare, cruisers must budget extra for gratuities, or tips for crew members. 

Gratuities are divided to help cover the cost of everyone who works to make your vacation special, including cabin stewards, dining and culinary services staff, the guest services team, and others who work behind the scenes and contribute to the overall cruise experience.

Many first-time cruisers are confused about how tipping works onboard cruise ships and may find themselves asking questions like, "who do you need to tip onboard?" and "do you have to tip on a cruise?"

There’s no secret formula to determine the cheapest time to book a cruise. As much as we’d all love to have a crystal ball, there’s no way to accurately predict how cruise prices fluctuate.

For many, booking a cruise vacation requires careful budgeting. Costs can quickly add up, from the base cruise fare to shore excursions, internet packages, specialty dining, airfare, and more. Not to mention, cruise fares have continuously increased over the last few years.

Carnival Cruise Line is planning its biggest class of ships yet. However, with that, they're also planning to stuff as many passengers onboard as possible. 

The new "FUN" ships will measure around 230,000 gross registered tons (GRT), making them larger than most of Royal Caribbean's Oasis Class, excluding Wonder and Utopia of the Seas. They're expected to be delivered in 2029, 2031, and 2033, respectively. 

One of the world’s most famous cruise ship captains announced she is stepping away from the helm.

There's nothing quite like lounging on your private balcony on a beautiful sea day or as your ship pulls into your next port of call. 

Virgin Voyages enhanced the balcony experience by adding scarlet red hammocks to every verandah, whereas most cruise lines include only two standard chairs and a small table. 

One savvy passenger decided to copy Virgin Voyages by bringing a $20 hammock on his Royal Caribbean cruise. 

Recently, I had the opportunity to stay in a Grand Terrance Suite on Margaritaville’s newest cruise ship on a 4-night voyage from Florida to Mexico and was more impressed than I thought I would be. 

Margaritaville at Sea’s Islander started as Costa Atlantica, offering cruises for Costa from 2000 until 2019. However, Margaritaville didn't purchase the ship until 2023. 

A Trump administration official blasted cruise ships for avoiding taxes. 

What if you book the cheapest cruise cabin, but receive a balcony upgrade for free?

That’s exactly what happened to Cruise.Blog reader Jackie and her husband Joe, who recently took a 4-night cruise on MSC Seashore, one of MSC Cruises’ newest and most modern ships.