Cruise Planning Guides & Resources

I spent years cruising Princess and Celebrity before I finally sailed Royal Caribbean. My first sailing was a 4-day trip on Quantum of the Seas out of Los Angeles, and I came home with a short list of things I wish someone had told me before I stepped on board. None of these tips are dramatic. They're the small, practical details that make the week smoother: when to decide on packages, how disembarkation can work, where to get free drinks, and why I changed my mind about a $1

I've been a travel advisor for years, and most of my cruising has been on Princess. So when I finally sailed Royal Caribbean for the first time on Quantum of the Seas cruise out of Los Angeles, I knew I'd learn a few things. What I didn't expect was how many avoidable Royal Caribbean cruise mistakes I'd make anyway. A few came down to waiting too long. A few came down to assuming a package worked the way it does on other lines. And a couple were small costs that quietly added

I've sailed on both Princess and Celebrity — and the question I get asked the most is which one is "better." Here's the honest answer: there isn't one. It depends entirely on who's traveling. Rather than telling you one line is better than the other, I want to walk you through the four real differences I noticed between the two, plus a decision framework you can use to figure out which line fits your travel style. Key Takeaways Princess Medallion lets you order food and drink

Planning your first Princess cruise is exciting—but it can also feel a little overwhelming. Between choosing dining options, figuring out embarkation day, understanding Princess Plus and Premier packages, and deciding whether you really need that Medallion shipped to your house, there are a lot of decisions to make. The good news? Most first-time cruisers have a fantastic vacation, even if they make a few mistakes along the way. The better news? A little preparation can help

Planning a Princess Cruise can feel surprisingly overwhelming once you start adding everything up. Princess Plus. Princess Premier. Specialty dining. Wi-Fi. Excursions. Balcony cabins. Spa treatments. The Sanctuary. Suddenly your “simple cruise vacation” has turned into a giant list of upgrades and add-ons, all promising to make your trip better. But here’s the good news: you absolutely do not need to pay for everything to have an amazing cruise. Some extras are genuinely wor

Planning your first Princess cruise? You're probably wondering what's actually included, whether the Plus or Premier package is worth it, how the Medallion works, and what makes Princess different from other cruise lines. After sailing Princess multiple times, these are the things I genuinely think first-time Princess cruisers should know before boarding — including a few things that surprised me the most. If you'd rather watch than read, I also have a full video version embe