We’re heading back on the Norwegian Bliss — this time on a repositioning cruise from Los Angeles to Vancouver — and we’re doing something we’ve done before… But we’re doing it better. On past cruises — including: We shared a lot of real-time content and answered questions along the way. And honestly? That ended up…
Choosing a cruise is not just about the ship, the price, or even the itinerary. It is about you. Because the truth is, the same cruise that one person calls “amazing” could be one someone else would never book again. We have seen it over and over. The difference usually comes down to one thing:…
What Kind of Cruiser Are You? There’s No In-Between Cruising is one of the few vacations where two people can be on the exact same ship and still have completely different trips. Same itinerary.Same food.Same ocean. Completely different experience. Because the truth is, people do not just “go on a cruise.” They go for their…
I thought I’d hate cruising — I was wrong. Melanie had been on several cruises before. Jon? Never. I had officially labeled myself a non-cruiser — and I was pretty confident I’d stay that way. But with Melanie’s 50th birthday coming up, I decided it was time to do something big. Something meaningful. Something that…
Most cruise “deals” look great at first glance. Big discounts. Flash sales. “Up to 70% off.” Free perks everywhere. But once you’ve booked a few cruises — and made a few mistakes — you realize something quickly: The advertised price is rarely the real price. And it’s definitely not the full value. A cruise can…
Embarkation day isn’t just “getting on the ship.” For us, it’s the official start of the trip — and how we approach this day can shape the rest of the cruise. After multiple cruises and a few trial-and-error moments, we’ve settled into a routine that works really well for us. It’s not about rushing.It’s not…
Booking a cruise months — or even a year — in advance is the “normal” way to plan a trip. But that is not always how we do it. Some of our best cruise deals, and some of our most fun trips, have come from booking much closer to sail date. That is where Norwegian…
Planning a cruise doesn’t start when you pack your suitcase. For us, it usually starts weeks — sometimes months — before we ever step on the ship. Of course, that gets a little more interesting when we book last-minute cruises like we’ve done a few times recently. And for this upcoming Norwegian Bliss sailing? We’re…
Using points for travel sounds simple in theory. But when it comes to cruises, it gets a lot more complicated. In fact, for a long time, we actually resisted cruising for one main reason: It’s difficult to use points for cruises — and when you can, the value often isn’t great. Coming from a points-and-rewards…
Cruise Ducks: What We Actually Bought Melanie recently posted a video about us learning about — and eventually embracing — the cruise duck tradition. After a few questions about what we brought, we figured we would share the actual items we bought for anyone who is interested. This is not meant to be a full…
