We just came back from our second Alaska cruise with Norwegian Cruise Line. Our first was in 2018 aboard Norwegian Jewel but this time we were on Norwegian Encore, the newest (at the time) ship in their fleet and one that we knew that we loved sailing on in the Caribbean. However, I was a bit nervous about cruising in Alaska on such a huge vessel when my "Alaska Cruise Expert" friends all said that smaller vessels were better and as a new-comer that NCL wasn't going to be the best option. Well ... all I can say is that Heather and I had an absolutely incredible time on both of our Alaska cruises but Encore really surprised me with how good it was for cruising in this part of the world!
Read more: Why We Loved Norwegian Encore For An Alaska Cruise
While we heard about the new elevated bar program onboard their newest ship, Vista, which will be debuiting on May 20, 2023 - we're thrilled to hear that they are also taking their rum and whiskey program to the next level in a fleet wide roll-out. This new program will feature a collection of iconic Macallan expressions, a flight program, chocolate pairings, ice cream cocktails, and a new Tea at Sea mixology class featuring Brugal 1888 Doblemente Añejado Rum.
Read more: Oceania Cruises Is Taking Their Rum And Whiskey Program Fleet To The Next Level
Cruise ships are an environment unlike any other when it comes to the spread of disease. You have sometimes as many as 9,000 people from all over the world crammed into a boat together for a week or more. That means that each elevator button, handrail, tongs in the buffet, countertops are touched thousands of times each day. Unfortunately, not everyone is 100% healthy. While you can protect yourself from others, sometimes it is YOU who is the sick one. Here's what to do if you catch a cold while on a cruise ship.
Read more: What to Do If You Catch a Cold, Flu, or Virus On a Cruise Ship
Alaska cruises are a different experience than almost anywhere else in the world. Depending on your exact itinerary, your ship may be passing close enough to see wildlife and explore the coastline but probably not. While there are many excursion options, few offer the perfect blend of authenticity, affordability, and opportunity to explore something new. That's exactly what we found though, with Lighthouse Excursions and their Lighthouse, Totems, and Eagles excursion from Ward Cove in Ketchikan.
Read more: Lighthouse, Totems & Eagles Excursion in Ward Cove Ketchikan
Percussion massagers are all the rage right now because of their ability to provide strong, deep tissue massages but most are too bulky to travel with. They are also too loud and frankly most are also too powerful for all but the most severe situations. That's where Sharper Image's Powerboost Move deep tissue travel percussion massager comes in ... and we dig it!
Read more: Powerboost Move Is The Perfect Cruise Companion For Sore Muscles
Royal Caribbean's Navigator of the Seas is the first to make a big step forward in alternative fuels for cruise ships. While the glitz and glam future may appear to be focused on hydrogen fuel cells, LNG, and even farther out - perhaps even small nuclear reactors, renewable diesel for marine vessels is an important interim step that will allow for more sustainable operations and a net reduction in carbon emissions produced by the ship.
A full transit Panama Canal Cruise is one a bucket list cruises that many people dream of doing one day. Unlike most other cruises in North America, a Panama Canal cruise is going to be a very long voyage and so picking the right cabin is extremely important. While each person will have their own perspective in terms of what is most important to them, one of the biggest questions that we get is, which side of the ship should I be on?
Read more: Port Or Starboard, Which Is Best For A Panama Canal Cruise
Have you ever walked by a cruise ship and wondered what those metal pieces were that are attached to the mooring lines? Sometimes these are shaped like round discs and other times they have a more geometric pattern but one thing is for sure ... you'll always see them attached. The surprising answer is that these are an important first line of defense against rats and other rodents being able to enter the ship.
Read more: What Are Those Metal Pieces Attached To A Cruise Ship Mooring Line?
Many Alaska cruises now offer a stop in Icy Strait Point, one of the most popular Alaska cruise ports and the 2020 Seatrade Port of The Year Award-winner. This cruise stop is owned entirely by the Alaska Huna Totem Corporation, which in turn is owned by the Huna, a native tribe. Profits from Icy Strait Point go directly to support the Huna tribe in Hoonah, Alaska. It’s for this reason that Icy Strait Point is both a historical museum and cultural learning center.
Read more: Icy Strait Point Is A Great Alaska Cruise Port For Families
The town of Ketchikan is often the first or last port for most Alaska cruises. Situated as the southernmost city on the Inside Passage, this town of about 13,000 people started life as a fishing and logging community that morphed into a tourist destination. It occupies a 10-mile stretch of waterfront along the Tongass Narrows. This port offers numerous activities that are perfect for families, including the Alaska Lumberjack Show to walking tours and even fishing as well as whale watching expeditions.
Read more: Fun Things To Do As A Family Visiting Ketchikan On An Alaska Cruise
Small ship luxury cruising is in a whole different world when it comes to the level of attention and opportunity to truly explore unique experiences and enjoy the world's best food and drinks. Oceania Cruises is no exception to that. As one of the world's leading culinary focused cruise lines, it is always exciting to see what new ideas they bring to the table (or bar top?). With the launch of their newest ship, due next spring, we're sure to see even more of this creativity and diversity as they introduce an elevated, innovative bar program aboard the 1,200-guest Vista debuting May 20, 2023. Vista, the first of the brand's all new Allura Class ships, will feature the latest cocktail-crafting trends and techniques such as flavored smoke bubbles, an extensive selection of low- and no- sugar wines and zero-proof cocktails, plus Negronis aged in wooden barrels and specialty beverage carts like the Bubbly Bar and Ultimate Bloody Mary Bar.
Read more: Oceania Cruises Unveils Elevated Bar Program For Vista Cruise Ship Debuting in May 2023
There's only one major cruise line brand that I've never sailed with, Celebrity Cruises. However, they are now investing in the west coast market with cruises out of San Pedro, Los Angeles on the Celebrity Solstice through the end of April before heading north to Alaska for the summer. This is the first time that the company has had a ship sailing out of Southern California in nearly 20 years and we were excited just with that fact. However, I was really intrigued by their claim to truly be a cruise line for foodies. Despite this, aside from fancy photos ... I wasn't convinced. However, after spending most of the day onboard Celebrity Millenium during a port visit in San Diego, I'm very excited to learn more about the brand and hopefully share more about them with you guys in the future.
Read more: We Did A Food and Beverage Preview On Celebrity And I'm Impressed
Scenic Eclipse made a quick stop in San Diego yesterday and we were invited aboard to take a tour of this incredible "Discovery Yacht". I was first introduced to Scenic at Cruise World in 2019 but never thought I'd actually have a chance to visit this incredible ship in person. At the time I was simply wowed by the visual beauty, features like having both a helicopter and submarine, as well as the technology features like being able to hold a position without an anchor due to it's industry leading technology. What I didn't quite "get" was that as any experienced cruiser knows ... the hard product is only one part of the equation.
Read more: Cruising On Scenic Eclipse Is More About True Luxury Than Just A Set Of Posh Amenities
There are a lot of things that folks who love cruising do to make the adventure even more fun. While some folks look to pineapples, a much more wholesome and family-friendly game has developed in the past few years around hiding rubber duckies on cruise ships and then sharing your finds with others on social media. In fact, entire online communities have evolved to embrace this activity and frankly ... it is one of those things that is as fun to give as it is to get!
Read more: Why Are People Hiding Ducks On Cruise Ships And How You Can Join In The Fun
Sunglasses and eye protection might seem like something more important on warm-water cruises in the Caribbean or Mexican Riviera but it is essential to protect your eyes on Alaska cruises too. Despite the fact that the weather may be cloudy and sometimes raining, having a great pair of glasses like these Wiley X Boss ones actually does more than simply "protect" you eyes - it actually makes seeing those important things like bears, whales, and eagles easier since they cut through the glare, keep your eyes warm, and can even help them focus faster and adjust to different light conditions since the shielding reduces penetration by cold dry air that can make vision blurry.
Read more: Wiley X Boss Sunglasses Kept My Eyes Protected On Our Alaskan Cruise
I’m hooked on cruising, sure. Open seas, long days of tropical drinks and warm breezes, cares and cell phones put away for a full week. But for me, the real bang for my buck comes long before. For us planning weirdos, the logistical fun before, during, and after is almost as good as being on the cruise. Each time we book, I spend hours looking at shore excursions, hotel reviews, port maps and other sundry details, and I mentally plan out my wardrobe. It makes waiting for a trip months or years away a little more tolerable.
Read more: Cruise Planning Tips I Wish I Knew Before Our First Family Alaska Cruise
San Diego is hands down the finest embarcation port for west coast cruises (with an honorable mention nod to Vancouver). This is the only port city that combines an ambundance of hotels at various price points, a destination you might want to spend a couple days doing a pre or post-cruise stay, and best of all - easy access to the port by train, car, as well as plane. With summer Alaska cruise season windinding down, we're thrilled to have our friends from Disney, Princess, and Holland America Line back in town along with some new friends that will be visiting San Diego this year.
There's an inclination when selecting your cruise hotel to get as close to downtown or the cruise port as possible but at the same time going where the tourists go since that's all you know and the guide books drive us in that direction too. I'm guilty of that too but in reality if you are going to be taking a ride from the hotel to the cruise port then there are a lot of options beside being just a few minutes closer. That's why we're sharing a gem of a hotel that offers everything great about San Diego - food, sunshine, craft beer, and history - located in the hip harbor-front neighborhood of Point Loma.
Read more: The Monsaraz San Diego Makes A Great Pre-Cruise Hotel Option