Essential Cruise Tips

The Truth About a Queen Mary 2 Crossing: What They Don't Tell You (Podcast #503)

A Queen Mary 2 Transatlantic Crossing is unlike almost any other voyage — and many first-time passengers arrive with completely the wrong expectations. After crossing the

6 Things Cunard Brochures Aren't Telling You. And Why! (podcast #502)

Cunard is one of cruising's most famous names—but much of what people believe about it is outdated, exaggerated, or simply wrong. After 270 nights aboard Cunard ships, I

I Found Out How Cruise Lines REALLY Pick Cabin Upgrade Winners (podcast #501)

If you've ever been invited to bid for a cruise cabin upgrade, you probably assumed (like me) that the highest bid wins. But, that's not how it works at all. After losing

7 Cruises You Should Avoid. No Matter How Tempting They Look! (podcast #500)

Some cruises look perfect on paper. The ship, the itinerary, the price, the promise. But after more than 130 cruises, I've learned there are some cruises I would never bo

I Won't Do A Sailing Ship Cruise Again. But Here's Why You SHOULD! (Podcast #499)

I went on my first ever sailing ship cruise expecting something magical, different, and perhaps even better than a regular cruise ship. Instead, after the very first nigh

I've Done Panama Canal 6 Times. Here's What NO-ONE Is Telling You! (Podcast #498)

I've transited the Panama Canal six times, and I am still completely obsessed with it. In this video, I take you with me on a full Panama Canal transit from the Pacific s

I Was Completely Wrong About Sailing Ship Cruises. Here's Why. (Podcast #497)

After 100+ regular ocean cruises, I finally tried a sailing ship cruise — and almost everything I assumed going in turned out to be wrong.I sailed with Windstar on their

Epic Highs & Unwelcome Lows I Had Cruising South America! (Podcast #496)

South America cruising delivered some of the most spectacular sights I have ever experienced — but also a few costly, frustrating, and very unexpected lows. On my recent

7 Traps I See People Cruising South America Fall Into! (Podcast #495)

South America cruises can be spectacular — penguins in the Falklands, Cape Horn, Glacier Alley Chile, fascinating cities in Peru and Chile, end of the world in Ushuaia, B

I've Done 11 Holland America Cruises. Here's What No-One Else Warns About (Podcast #494)

I've now been on 11 Holland America cruises, including my most recent 31-night South America sailing — and despite having so many cruise lines to choose from, I keep comi

I Took A $1,200 Luxury Train To Machu Picchu. Was It Worth it? (Podcast #493)

It costs $1,200 to take the Belmond Hiram Bingham train to Machu Picchu — roughly $1,000 more than the standard train option. So, was this luxury rail journey through the

6 Things I Would NEVER Do On Holland America. Nor Should You! (Podcast #492)

I just spent 44 out of the last 60 days living on board Holland America ships, and I saw passengers making the same expensive mistakes over and over again. From missing o

What I Wish I'd Known BEFORE Doing A Machu Picchu Excursion Off A Cruise! (Podcast #491)

I abandoned my ship mid-cruise for three days to see one of the most iconic sights in the world: Machu Picchu. But after booking an eye-wateringly expensive $5,000 excurs

Secrets The Crew Want Us To Know About (And Some They DON'T!) (Podcast #490)

It took a lot of coaxing — and in some cases, waiting until crew had left life at sea — to uncover what actually happens behind the scenes on a cruise ship that most pass

No-One Warns Solo Cruisers About These Based On The 87 I've Done (Podcast #489)

Solo cruising is getting harder… and most people haven't noticed yet. After 87 solo cruises, I'm seeing some big changes that could make cruising alone more expensive, mo

I No Longer Recommend These 4 Cruise Tips. Here's Why (Podcast #488)

For years, I've shared what I believed were the smartest cruise tips—strategies that worked time and time again. But on my most recent cruise, something surprising happen

If I Could Only Do 10 Cruises In My Lifetime, These Are The Ones I'd Do (Podcast #487)

If I could only cruise 10 more times in my life… these are the ones I would choose. After 20+ years and 128 cruises, I've discovered that not all cruises are created equa

I Won't Do These 7 Cruises. Here's Why You Shouldn't Either! (Podcast #486)

After 128 cruises over two decades, I've learned that while most cruises are fantastic… some are simply not worth the money. In this video I reveal 7 cruises I regret tak

Every Adult Cruiser Needs To Be Ready For This!(Podcast #485)

adults can cruise for far less than they think. In this video I cover: Adult-only ocean and river cruise lines, The surprising world of chartered "grown-up" cruises, How

I've Cruised All 5 "Small Ship Luxury" Lines. No-One Warns You About This! (Podcast #484)

In the last few years, I've cruised on all five of the major Small Ship Luxury cruise lines — multiple times on each — and I discovered something most cruisers are never