Do You Need a Passport for a Cruise? Every Itinerary Checked, From Alaska to Europe
Closed-loop cruises, Alaska, Hawaii, Panama and Europe checked, plus the 1886 law behind the birth-certificate rule and the UK ETA.
Banned for Card Counting? The Gambler Suing Royal Caribbean Over Five Free Cruises
Royal Caribbean gave a gambler five free cruises, then turned his family away in Brisbane. What the tribunal decision actually says.
Do You Need a Lanyard for a Cruise? Which Ships Still Use Key Cards, and Who Gets One Free
No line requires a lanyard, but on key-card ships it's the easiest way to carry your room key. Line-by-line rules, wristbands and the hole-punch trap.
The “Love Boat” Turned “Vomit Comet”: Inside the AIDAdiva Norovirus Outbreak
Norovirus hit 106 passengers on AIDAdiva's 133-day world cruise. What the CDC data shows, why ships are perfect for the virus, and how to avoid catching it.
Can You Bring Alcohol on a Royal Caribbean Cruise? The Wine Rule, the $15 Fee and What Gets Confiscated
Royal Caribbean lets each adult bring one sealed bottle of wine. Here's what happens to beer and liquor, the $15 corkage fee, and how other lines compare.
8 Things You Should Never Do on a Cruise
Most cruise advice is somebody’s opinion dressed as a rule. This is not that. Every item below is something a cruise line, a regulator or an international convention has written down, and in most cases the consequence of ignoring it…
Going Viral on a Cruise: What the Conduct Policy Actually Says
A cruise vacation can turn viral in minutes. Learn how cruise ship privacy works, why onboard conflicts spread online, and how to protect yourself.
They Came Back From a Cruise to a Car Full of Baby Spiders. Nobody Owes Them a Thing.
Baby spiders swarmed cars in the Galveston cruise terminal lot. Why it happens every September, and why no port, line or insurer owes you a cleanup.
Cairns Spent A$127 Million to Fit Bigger Cruise Ships. Then the Mud Came Back.
Three Carnival sailings in three weeks were turned away, diverted or cut short at Cairns because the shipping channel silted up. Here is why, and what it means for you.
Do You Need a Passport for a Cruise to Mexico? What Happens When Things Go Wrong in Cozumel
Most Mexico cruises don't require a passport. Here's when they do, what happens if you're stranded in port, and Mexico's new cruise fee.