Before you can begin your countdown to your Carnival cruise, you have to choose your stateroom. 

Selecting your perfect "home away from home" on a Carnival ship is easier than on other cruise lines. Whereas some ships have everything from interior-facing balconies to multi-level suites and cabins with windows overlooking the Royal Promenade, Carnival's staterooms are slightly more standardized. In other words, you won't find the same level of variation in cabin types across their fleet as you might with other cruise lines. 

Cruises make the ultimate family vacation. From included youth programming to adult-only sun decks and adrenaline-pumping activities for teens, there's something for everyone to enjoy. Still, not all ships are built equally. Before booking the same cruise your co-worker raved about, it's essential to do your own research to see which ship will suit your family's needs. 

Teachers have a multitude of responsibilities on their plates at all times. As a teacher myself, sometimes all I can think about is when my next vacation is and what I'm going to do.

Growing up, I did not travel much. We went to Florida, Tennessee, or just places surrounding my hometown in Connecticut. The thought of a cruise never came up during family discussions. As I transitioned into adulthood, my fiancée introduced me to the world of cruising, and in October 2023, I started my journey as a cruiser.

Would you pay over $5,000 for a cruise ship suite with little to no privacy? Normally, you'd expect a stateroom with that price tag to offer luxurious amenities and expansive ocean views. 

However, my Reserve Collection Cabana Mini-Suite on Sun Princess sat on a shared deck, and guests staying in standard balconies on the decks above had a direct view of my balcony. 

We share a lot of cruise updates and advice on Cruise Blog, and this is a weekly roundup of everything you may have missed from this week.

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Cruise ship cabins aren't known for being spacious, so how do you deal with cramming a family of four, five, or six into a single stateroom? 

First things first, most cruise cabins can only accommodate two passengers. Thanks to sofa and pullman beds, some standard rooms can fit three or four guests, but fitting a larger family can be challenging. 

Having sailed on the newest ships launched by premium cruise lines Celebrity Cruises and Princess Cruises, I've had the opportunity to gain firsthand experience at what makes each brand desirable. 

Celebrity's Edge Class ships boast modern, upscale designs, with an emphasis on luxury and fine dining. On the other hand, Princess' brand-new Sphere Class shines with its focus on a wealth of onboard activities, casual dining, and the line's innovative MedallionClass. 

Those looking to explore The Last Frontier on a cruise ship will have more choices starting in 2026, with MSC Cruises and Virgin Voyages announcing their inaugural sailings to Alaska.

MSC Cruises will bring MSC Poesia, a Musica Class ship launched in 2008, to Seattle, Washington, offering 7-night cruises to Alaska and Canada beginning on May 11. Passengers can expect visits to popular ports like Juneau, Icy Strait Point, Ketchikan, and more. 

The 2024 Atlantic hurricane season isn't over yet, but one Meteorologist shares why cruisers can finally take a sigh of relief. Historically, by late October, the season's peak begins to taper off, leading to fewer storms. 

From Hurricane Beryl to Oscar, the storms have wreaked havoc on the cruise industry, with dozens of ships having to alter their itineraries. In some cases, sailings have been canceled because of port closures and delayed returns.