The Dirtiest Cruise Ships According to the CDC
We read every CDC cruise ship inspection from the past year. Here are the 12 lowest scores, what inspectors found, and how to check your own ship.
Ernie
Ernie has been cruising for ten years and writes and edits Cruise Chaos. That decade at sea shapes what gets published here: cruise news explained properly, honest stories from onboard, practical guides, and deals verified on the cruise lines' own sites the day they run. No affiliate commissions, no invented facts, and corrections welcome.
The Rhine Is Below Zero and a River Cruise Ship Got Stuck in Cologne
The Kaub gauge reads below zero, Lobith hit its lowest since 1866, and a 140-passenger hotel ship ran aground in Cologne. What it means for your cruise.
6 Must-Know Cruise Hacks
Six legal cruise hacks backed by the lines' own rules: special rates, add-on rebooking, airplane mode, ship time, magnetic hooks and onboard booking.
Oasis of the Seas Is Switching Off Its Toilets Again. Here’s Why a Cruise Ship Has To
Oasis of the Seas scheduled two toilet shutdowns in Nassau, for the second time in two months. How vacuum plumbing works, and what to do.
7 Cruises to Avoid
Seven types of cruise to avoid, from peak-hurricane Caribbean sailings to ships with a failed CDC inspection, each with a documented reason and a better pick.
Do You Need to Bring Money on an All-Inclusive Cruise?
Ships are cashless, but ports aren't. Each big line's cash rules, ship ATM fees, and when to carry dollars or local currency.
More Than 100 Men, One Red Shirt: The Star of the Seas Prank, Explained
Over 100 men on Star of the Seas turned up to Caribbean night in the same red shirt. How their partners pulled it off, and how to run your own.
How to Avoid Long Lines on a Cruise: Every Queue, and How to Skip It
Arrival slots, the lunch rush, tenders, customs and the last morning: how to skip each cruise queue for free, and what priority passes cost.
Celebrity Quietly Killed Its Concierge Canapes. Guests Are Celebrating.
Celebrity dropped the afternoon canapes from Concierge Class. Guests called them 'delightfully horrific'. Here's the food rule behind it and what you get now.
Can You Bring Vapes on a Cruise? Every Line’s Rule, and the Ports Where It Gets You in Trouble
Yes, but only in smoking areas, never on your balcony. Eight lines' rules checked, plus Mexico's 2026 import ban and the ports where a vape is illegal.