Cruising Guides
Straight-talking guides to help you with ships, rooms and ports — and the decisions worth getting right before you book.
The 30 largest cruise ships sailing in 2026, ranked by gross tonnage — with the Still Afloat score on every ship that's earned one.
Read the guide → Ports & EmbarkationSailing to Alaska from Vancouver? You clear U.S. Customs before you board — plus terminal, timing, and a smart embarkation-day checklist.
Read the guide → Health at SeaBonine vs Dramamine for cruise seasickness, made simple — active ingredients, label doses, drowsiness, plus Bonamine, Gravol, Avomine, ginger, bands, and the patch.
Read the guide → Health at SeaDramamine is Benadryl with a shot of espresso. Not a metaphor — that is what's in the box. So can you just take the Benadryl?
Read the guide → Money & OffersThat free-cruise offer is real — and it's math, not magic. What casino offers include, what's extra, and the one honest question to ask before chasing one.
Read the guide → Loyalty & StatusVIFP is gone and Carnival Rewards took its place on September 1, 2026. What changed, every date that matters, and what a Platinum or Diamond cruiser should do now.
Read the guide →Talk to Mark — a real cruise advisor who has sailed it himself, not a call center. Honest picks, no pressure, and no booking fees to you.
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