Cruising

When we first decided to take a cruise, we headed to a travel advisor (TA) in our area who specializes in cruising.

That first cruise was over 20 years ago. We now have quite a few cruises under our belt and choose cruising as a way of travel for many different reasons. Read on to see why.

Before you board your first cruise ship, take a few minutes to learn some basic nautical terminology. Words like port, starboard, forward, and aft come in handy when staring at the ship directory sign and wondering which way to go.

If you’re like me, food is one of the most exciting aspects of a cruise vacation. I didn’t name my site Travel Eat Cook for nothing! The thought of indulging in delicious meals while sailing the open seas is enough to make any foodie’s heart skip a beat.

So, is food free on a cruise? The short answer is yes. The good news is that your basic fare includes food on all major cruise lines. Breakfast, lunch, dinner, and most snacks you may want to eat in between are free and included in your fare.

October is a great time to go on a cruise. The weather is starting to cool down, so you avoid the hot and humid summer months. And, because the peak of hurricane season has passed, you can be more confident that a storm won’t impact your cruise ship.

Every year, between April and October (the Alaska cruise season), nearly 1.3 million choose to cruise Alaska. That’s nearly twice as many visitors to Alaska as the locals who live there. I have been one of those cruisers three different times.