Choosing the Ship
What I Watch for When I Walk a Ship
An inspection gives me a few hours on a ship between one sailing and the next, sharing every stateroom with 20 other advisors. In that time I watch the crew, the boarding-day lines, the main dining room most guests skip, and the seats nobody's using.
5 min read
Choosing the TripThe Canal in Ten Nights: Round-Trip From Miami on a Smaller Ship
Norwegian Sun’s eleven-night round-trip from Miami spends a full day inside the Panama Canal and calls at Harvest Caye, Cartagena, Puerto Limón, Falmouth, Colón and Cozumel, with one round-trip flight.
7 min read
Travel BizWhat a CDC Sanitation Score Covers
How the CDC Vessel Sanitation Program inspects cruise ships, what the published scores measure, and how to look up any ship's inspection record.
5 min read
Travel BizNotes on the Bliss Propulsion Situation
What the Bliss propulsion problem means for Alaska port time, what Norwegian is giving affected guests, and my advice whether you are already booked on a fall sailing or still choosing a ship.
3 min read
The Biggest Ship the Eastern Baltic Will Take
How one port's berth length decides which ship sails the Baltic, why Jewel suits a port-heavy week, how her 2027 fares compare with the Sun's, and which departures add Visby.
5 min read
How to Choose the Right NCL Ship for How You Actually Cruise
A side-by-side look at four Norwegian Cruise Line® ship classes, how each tends to feel on a sea day, and a short decision guide that points you to the class to start with.
10 min read
Notes from NCL Escape Inspection
What I saw touring Norwegian Escape in New Orleans, from a crowded terminal to the staterooms and public spaces, plus an elevator tip for Breakaway-class ships and when to schedule check-in.
2 min read
The Alaska 2026 Ship Selection Strategy
The questions I use to match a family to an Alaska ship: which glacier you want to see, a mid-size or large ship, one-way or round-trip, and what your group needs onboard.
5 min read