You must narrow down your stateroom options once you've picked your cruise ship, itinerary, and sail date. From compact interior cabins to multi-level suites, there are a ton of accommodations that can be considered.

Over the past two years, I've sailed on multiple cruise lines, including Norwegian Cruise Line, Royal Caribbean, Margaritaville, Disney Cruise Line, and even Viking Cruises. These experiences have given me a broad view of what the cruise industry offers. However, there was one major cruise brand that I hadn’t tried yet—Carnival Cruise Line.

Loyalty pays off if you’re someone who cruises frequently. All of the major cruise lines offer loyalty programs that reward travelers for continuously choosing to vacation with their brand.

In fact, having a top-tier loyalty status can afford you very lucrative amenities. Some of these could include complimentary drinks, shore excursion discounts, specialty dining credits, priority embarkation or disembarkation, free internet, reserved seating at shows, and even a free cruise.

Cruising offers a unique experience that differs from a land-based vacation. As such, it's natural to have tons of questions about life at sea, from the dining experience to the onboard accommodations and entertainment options. 

When it comes to planning a cruise, there are no dumb questions. In fact, the more questions you have, the more likely you are to perfect your cruise vacation. Booking a cruise without doing enough research could lead to grave disappointment and a newfound hate for cruising! 

You can't bring a multi-plug on a Royal Caribbean cruise.

The cruise line made a change to its list of prohibited items on its website, which specifically restricts passengers from bringing "Extension Cords and Multi-Plug Outlets/ Power Strips," Royal Caribbean Blog reported.

The old policy prohibited: "Electrical Extension Cords,  including power strips/surge protected strips". 

Within the past six months, I've sailed on two of Royal Caribbean and Carnival's oldest ships: Vision of the Seas and Carnival Elation. Though both ships launched within two months of each other, they couldn't be more different. From the overall atmosphere to the quality of the dining and cabin experience, one clearly came out on top. 

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.

I recently returned from a 7-night sailing aboard the Norwegian Jade, one of the oldest ships in the Norwegian Cruise Line fleet on a unique itinerary that took us roundtrip from Boston, Massachusetts, to several breathtaking stops throughout Atlantic Canada. 

When people think about cruise ship drink packages, they typically envision morning mimosas, afternoon cocktails by the pool, and fine wine during dinner. Of course, this luxury on a cruise comes at a price, usually at least $60 per day—if not more.