After over a dozen cruises to the Bahamas and Caribbean, I finally embarked on an Alaska cruise aboard Royal Caribbean's Quantum of the Seas. 

Though I had stayed in interior cabins, it was my first time in a virtual balcony. I was thankful for the live video screen as we sailed through Alaska's fjords, but it wasn't the same as a private verandah. 

Still, my tiny inside stateroom was cozy and functional. And in the end, I didn't mind the absence of a balcony as much as I thought. It was hard to stay in the cabin for long with so many amenities on the ship!

We share lots of cruise updates and advice on Cruise Blog, and this is a weekly roundup of everything you may have missed from this week, including a suite on the brand-new luxury line Explora Journeys, tips on changing or canceling a Royal Caribbean cruise, and more. 

For those busy but want to stay updated on all the helpful cruise advice we share, this is an easy-to-digest overview of our recent articles.

If you want the roundup delivered directly to your email inbox, sign up for our Cruise Blog Newsletter!

Carnival Cruise Line is one of the most popular mainstream cruise lines at sea and has a large fleet of ships ranging from 70,000 to over 184,000 gross registered tons.

Today, Carnival has 29 ships in its fleet with another 2 expected to enter service between 2027 and 2028. The largest Carnival cruise ship is Carnival Jubilee, while the smallest is Carnival Elation. 

Norwegian ships aren't as large as mega-monsters like Icon of the Seas. However, NCL's modest fleet offers impressive amenities and great itineraries worldwide. 

Welcome guest writer Sarah Cinq-Mars! Sarah's a 5th-grade teacher based in North Carolina. When she isn't teaching or being taught the latest slang by her students, she's catching up on the latest true crime podcast, playing with her 12-year-old dog, or checking out the area's newest restaurants.

Since my first cruise in October 2023, I have sailed on five different cruise lines. 

NCL Latitudes is Norwegian Cruise Line's loyalty program that rewards cruisers who frequently sail with the line. 

After your first NCL cruise, you are automatically enrolled in the Norwegian Latitudes program. The more you sail with Norwegian, the better perks you'll unlock. 

CocoCay is Royal Caribbean's private island in the Bahamas designed exclusively for the cruise line's guests. 

After completely renovating the island and reopening in May 2019, Royal Caribbean dubbed the new experience "Perfect Day at CocoCay." 

In fact, CocoCay was the first island of Royal Caribbean’s Perfect Day Collection, which is meant to bring a next-level private island experience to cruise itineraries. The next private destination, Perfect Day Mexico, is slated to open in 2027. 

Carnival requires all guests to provide them with their check-in information by completing the online portion and selecting their arrival appointment no later than midnight Eastern Standard Time before their cruise date. 

The multi-step online check-in process is easy and takes just a few minutes. It will go even quicker if your passport (or other travel documentation) and credit card are readily available. 

MSC Cruises is known for its low prices and budget-friendly offerings, but that is changing with its new luxury brand, Explora Journeys.

As a fan of MSC Cruises and, in particular, its incredible Yacht Club suite-only area, I was excited to try this new offshoot of the brand, hailed as an upscale spinoff with top-notch service and food.

Great reviews and an enticing itinerary made the decision a no-brainer, and I booked my first Explora Journeys cruise sailing to the Eastern Caribbean.