The buffet is a staple of the cruise experience, promising guests an all-you-can-eat breakfast, lunch, and dinner. 

Unlike the Main Dining Room, however, you don't have servers taking your order or bringing food to your table. You don't have to worry about clearing the table because the dedicated wait staff will remove and refresh the dishes for the next guests after you've finished. In the free-for-all buffet, however, many passengers wonder what to do with their dirty dishes. 

Over the last two years, I have sailed with Norwegian Cruise Line seven times. From my first NCL experience to my most recent, there is always something new to discover on my sailings, which keeps me wanting to come back time and time again. 

Norwegian Cruise Line is one of the leading brands in the cruising industry, with 19 operating vessels in the fleet and more on the way! With the debut of new and exciting itineraries, Norwegian is one of the go-to cruise names prospective guests look at when considering a cruise vacation.

Between 2024 and 2028, over 25 new ships are expected to enter service across the globe. From the Disney Adventure for the Asian market to two more Icon Class ships for Royal Caribbean by 2026, there's a lot to look forward to in the cruise industry! 

Here's a list of cruise ships making their debut this year and beyond. 

Carnival Cruise Line and Royal Caribbean are two of the biggest names in the industry for mainstream cruise lines; however, the cruise lines are also major competitors for affordable, family-friendly vacations. Even still, there are many differences between the two cruise lines.

Did you know that if you gamble enough in your ship's casino, you could earn a free cruise? 

Graham Bernard and his wife Jodie recently experimented to see how much they'd have to gamble on Royal Caribbean to reach Prime status within the cruise line's Club Royale Rewards Program. 

According to his Facebook post, they were able to reach Prime status after 10 hours of gambling and betting $7.25 per spin on the slot machines. While the couple spent $2,260 in the casino, he claims the total value of the Prime status exceeds the cost.

Whether you're counting down the days until your first-ever voyage or are still debating if cruising is for you, learning from past sailors is a great way to help make the most out of your limited time onboard, though experienced cruisers aren't immune from making mistakes, either! 

It took me quite a few sailings before I learned the importance of booking shore excursions in advance. Last year, I overpaid for admission to Royal Caribbean's Thrill Waterpark, paying $149 for a single-day ticket, while others had scored tickets for $50 during the Black Friday sale. 

While you're busy preparing to disembark the ship and return home, crew members are already thinking about the next set of guests scheduled to board the same day. Though passengers may think of it as embarkation or disembarkation day, those within the cruise industry refer to it as turnaround day. 

When guests are enjoying their final moments on the ship before getting off, crew and port employees restock the ship with the supplies necessary for the sailing, refueling, cleaning, offloading and reloading luggage, doing laundry, and so much more.

Could you imagine living on the same cruise ship for over one year? Marty and Jess Ansen, a retired couple from Australia, spent over 450 days—longer than many of the crew members—aboard Princess Cruises' Coral Princess, booking 51 back-to-back cruises on the same ship. "We welcome the different captains onboard," Jess told A Current Affair. 

According to a report released by the Cruise Lines International Association (CLIA), cruise lines are projected to see passenger volumes reach over 35 million globally this year. While the cruise industry has experienced strong demand throughout 2024, resulting in higher prices and less availability, if you're smart and play your cards right, booking a cruise doesn't have to be expensive.