After two expedition cruises to Antarctica and the Arctic, I’m finding it hard to book sailings on massive, mainstream cruise ships.

Like many cruisers, I took my first-ever cruise on a large ship to the Caribbean. The vessel could accommodate over 4,000 passengers, and it had an overwhelming amount of things to do onboard, including water slides, three pools, multiple restaurants, and a variety of production shows.

What happens if your cruise crosses paths with a hurricane? Thankfully, the chances of you coming face-to-face with a monster storm are minimal. In the days leading up to a sailing, cruise lines will monitor the weather and make any necessary changes to the itinerary, keeping passengers and crew out of harm's way. 

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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 just returned from an unforgettable cruise to the high Arctic, and I spent 11 nights in a suite that costs over $450 per person, per night.

Polar expedition cruises are far from the cheapest cruise options out there, but they provide an unparalleled way to discover Earth’s most remote, untouched destinations. On my Arctic itinerary—a repositioning cruise from Edinburgh to Svalbard—I saw polar bears, sailed through narrow fjords, and visited the northernmost towns on the planet.

If you’re like me, packing for a cruise can be stressful. This is especially true when I take a cruise abroad, as I am visiting destinations I am not always familiar with.

While luxury cruise lines have menus crafted by Michelin-star chefs, they're not the most affordable vacation option on the market. Sailing on a mainstream line doesn't mean you have to sacrifice a high-quality dining experience, though. From nightly meals in the Main Dining Room to fast-casual bites by the pool, the food is one of the most highly-anticipated aspects of any cruise. 

The mountains were silent, but the threat of a polar bear was omnipresent.

I had arrived in Svalbard, a Norwegian archipelago well above the Arctic Circle, and I was closer to the North Pole than almost everyone else on Earth.

Signs of familiarity were rare. Polar bears outnumbered humans, the only “city” had a population of 2,400, and mammoth glaciers could be found around any corner. This no man’s land is somewhere I truly never thought I’d be—a year ago, I doubt I could have pointed it out on a map.

While enjoying your day in The Bahamas, remember to be aware of your surroundings. 

Bingo is a popular cruise activity, with passengers lining up to secure their cards in hopes of winning the jackpot. Typically, it's a ship-sponsored activity; however, a guest sailing onboard P&O Cruises' P&O Azura recently reported finding derogatory "bingo" cards mocking other passengers.