It’s all about the outdoors on the new Royal Princess coming this June. With some really incredible new features, the top deck is where everyone is going to want to be on Princess’ new megaship, improving on their signature “Movies Under The Stars” feature and also adding some new features that are both a first for the industry and will create some really amazing passenger experiences. Read more...

Ever wonder where the cheapest places to extend your cruise vacation would be? We know that London or New York isn’t likely to make that list of cities, but the answers of which ones do might actually surprise you!  Trip Advisor recently put together its list of the least expensive and most expensive cities to visit, and we’ve decided to simplify the list for you… and let you know the least expensive and most expensive places to stretch out your cruise vacation. Read more...

One of the things everyone talks about after their cruise is how good the food is. Oceania Cruises has a love affair with their food, and it shows. From Executive Chef Jacques Pepin on down, the cruise line really places an emphasis on quality and attention to detail, especially when it comes to meantime. And Oceania’s newest ship, the Riviera, really places a huge emphasis on it with ten different dining venues aboard this small ship. Read more...

The Celebrity Reflection hits the seas this week on its inaugural passenger voyages. It does a short schedule in Europe before crossing the Atlantic down to Florida in December. New features on Celebrity’s latest and greatest include art classes on the Lawn Club from Art Center South Florida, the addition of Aqua Class suites and a unique to Celebrity spa which includes a hammam, sensory showers and an infrared sauna. Guests can even book their own private cabana space on the lawn with the addition of the Alcoves. Read more...

Azamara Club Cruises is a small ship, upscale cruise line that has consistently been a winner when it comes to on board experience and service, and every year the product just seems to get stronger. In 2011, the two ship line changed its focus to a more inclusive atmosphere with more overnights and longer times in port, as well as including your gratuities and wine at dinner on every voyage. For 2013, Azamara Club Cruises is introducing three new key enhancements which will make any cruise a truly “Azamazing” adventure. Read more...

With every new ship, there’s always something brand new to cruising. And Carnival’s latest ships, this is no exception. Starting with the Carnival Magic and continuing on to the Breeze and the Sunshine over the next few months, Carnival is introducing the Sportsquare area – which is exactly what it sounds like. Read more...

One of the pleasures of finding yourself in a place that you know nothing about is that, every so often you’ll find out something special that your guide book never clued you in on. When I was in Southern Nicaragua, this happened to me. San Juan del Sur barely registers a page in the Lonely Planet Central America guide book, but it was my favorite spot on my vacation – and nowhere do they mention the turtles. Read more...

The Norwegian Breakaway is getting ready to set sail out of New York City in the Spring of 2013, and like other Norwegian Cruise Line ships, the Breakaway will not disappoint when it comes to entertainment. With all the different options onboard, including Second City comedy, Cirque du Soleil, an authentic blues bar, dueling piano bars, and two different Broadway shows on every sailing, this truly will be an entertainment district. Read more...

One of the questions that comes up most often with guests is whether or not a Passport is required on their vacation. The truth is that it’s needed more often than it is not. In the last few years, the US government decided that Passports would be required for all international travel… and then they backed away from that a little bit. The rules are a little confusing, but here’s a synopsis of the rules for US Citizens as we understand it. Keep in mind that the latest rules about what’s required for international travel are available on the US State Department website, http://travel.state.gov, and on the Western Hemisphere Travel Initiative website, http://www.getyouhome.gov. Read more...

Royal Caribbean is in the process of making every single ship as attractive as the latest and greatest to come fresh out of the shipyard. The Grandeur of the Seas, one of the older and smaller of the large fleet of ships just went through a pretty major revitalization this year, adding some amazing new features including some Cirque du Soleil type theatrics in the Centrum area of the ship. Read more...