I have done many cruises over the years, going to many places, but one thing I had never done was consecutive cruises – more commonly called a ‘back-to-back’ or simply ‘B2B’. This is a fairly common thing among older, retired cruisers who have the luxury of time go on two, three, perhaps even four consecutive [...]

Norwegian Cruise Line announced today that it is unveiling a new brand platform and integrated national advertising campaign – “Cruise Like a Norwegian” – that embraces and celebrates the community of diverse vacationers who embody the passion, freedom and flexibility inherent in a Norwegian Cruise Line Freestyle Cruising® vacation. Cruising like a “Norwegian” is for [...]

I just returned from a seven-night cruise aboard Royal Caribbean’s Allure of the Seas. Although I knew what to expect from having taken Oasis of the Seas, I was still excited as I approached the pier and could barely wait to get onboard. For any ship to evoke such emotions in an experienced cruiser like me [...]

By David Beers – Editor CruiseReviews: Shortly after the Carnival Splendor fire and subsequent journey back to port under tugboat power I wrote this article which praised the crew, the actions of the ship’s Captain, and the calm and steady presence of Senior Cruise Director John Heald.  However, new information indicates the actions of the [...]

[By David Beers - CruiseReviews Editor] By now everyone has heard various accounts of the new ‘enhanced’ pat-downs and advanced imaging technology (AIT) being used by the U.S. Transportation Security Administration.   This is obviously a polarizing topic with lots of passion on both sides of the story. Let me begin with my opinion: I think [...]

Fire is the worst thing that can happen aboard a ship. The crew trains constantly for this event, hoping to never face a worst case scenario.

Last week I posted an article which discussed some shortcomings of the Norwegian Epic’s show venues and reservations system.  Shortly after it was posted NCL contacted me about some errors and omissions. I forgot to list the Howl At The Moon dueling piano show,  the Martini bar pianist, evening atrium band and movies, and also [...]

By David Beers [editor: CruiseReviews] - It’s been two months since Norwegian Epic debuted with the expected media fanfare. The ship sailed triumphantly into New York City to pick up the media and other guests – but the media cruise was limited to just two nights and one full day. All of the media activities were [...]

By Dave Beers (CruiseReviews Editor) — Let’s begin by saying the frustrated Crown & Anchor member is yours truly.  This article didn’t start out that way.  It was about a reader who had repeated problems with her cruise history vanishing from Royal Caribbean’s website, but her problem magically got fixed two days ago and somehow [...]

By Dave Beers (CruiseReviews Editor) – So you just booked your first cruise and they are giving you a two category upgrade!  You got a great deal, right?  Well maybe not.  Indeed, it is likely you were lured by a lofty and largely meaningless sales gimmick. I have long been bothered by the misuse and [...]