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River Cruising vs Ocean Cruising: Which One Is Actually For You
Most people picture a massive ship when they think about cruising. That picture is not wrong, but it is incomplete. River cruising is a completely different experience, and the people who love one do not always love the other. Ocean cruising is about scale. Ships like those in the Celebrity or Norwegian fleets carry thousands…
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Viking Ocean Cruises Is Not for Everyone and That Is the Point
Viking Ocean Cruises does not have casinos. There are no water slides, no children under 18, and no nickel-and-dime drink packages to sort through. That is not an oversight. That is the entire business model. Viking launched its ocean division in 2015 after spending years dominating the river cruise market in Europe. They moved fast…
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Why Iceland Should Be Your Next Cruise Port
Most people think of Iceland as a winter destination. Chasing northern lights, standing in the dark, hoping the clouds part. That version of Iceland is real, but it is not the only one. Summer in Iceland is something else entirely, and cruise ships are starting to figure that out. Iceland sits at the intersection of…
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Book Your Cruise Cabin Early or Pay for It Later
Most people book a cruise cabin the same way they pick a seat on an airplane. They look at the price, pick the cheapest one, and figure the rest will work out. Sometimes it does. Often it does not. Cruise ships are not built equally from bow to stern. The location of your cabin determines…
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Cruise News Roundup: What Happened This Week
The cruise industry does not slow down on weekends. Here is what made news over the past week and what it actually means if you are planning a sailing. Royal Caribbean confirmed that Icon of the Seas will return for another full season in Miami starting in late 2025. The ship has been selling out…
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The Cruise Ship Is Not Going to Leave Without You
Actually, it will. And it does. Several times a year, passengers miss their ship at a port of call because they booked a tour on their own and it ran late. The ship is on a schedule. The schedule does not care about your snorkeling excursion. This is the most common and most preventable cruise…
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The Thermal Suite Is the Best Kept Secret on the Ship
Most passengers walk past the spa entrance all week and never go in. They assume it is expensive, or just for massages, or not really their thing. What they miss is the thermal suite, and it is genuinely one of the better ways to spend an afternoon at sea. The thermal suite is a dedicated…
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River Cruising vs Ocean Cruising: How to Know Which One Is Actually for You
Most people who ask me about river cruising have already taken an ocean cruise. They liked it fine. But something made them curious about the rivers. That curiosity is worth following. Ocean cruising is bigger in almost every way. The ships carry thousands of passengers. The ports are often beach towns or island capitals. The…
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Virgin Voyages Is Not for Everyone, and That Is the Point
Virgin Voyages launched with a bold claim: adults only, no kids, no buffets, all-inclusive dining, and a vibe closer to a boutique hotel than a cruise ship. A few years in, they have mostly delivered on that promise. Mostly. The line runs three ships right now, with Scarlet Lady being the flagship. The ships are…
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The Case for Iceland Before Everyone Else Gets There
Most people put Iceland on a bucket list and leave it there. That is a mistake. Summer sailings along the Icelandic coast are some of the most quietly spectacular itineraries in cruising, and the window to do it right is shorter than most people realize. Iceland sits at the intersection of the North Atlantic and…