Cruises

In addition to Disney theme parks around the world, Disney provides magical cruise vacation experiences for guests of all ages on Disney Cruise Line. Castaway Club, the cruise line’s loyalty program, rewards cruisers with status and perks after completing just…

Sailing on a Disney cruise is a dream vacation for many families. Beautiful ships, incredible destinations, and Disney-themed, family-friendly activities are a huge draw. But planning such an extraordinary — and expensive — vacation can be daunting, and every question seems…

A cruise can take you to exciting destinations with adventurous shore excursions, but no trip is immune to unexpected interruptions. Cancellations, delays, missed port calls, or illness can all interfere with your plans. But cruise excursion travel insurance can help…

Taking a cruise is one of the easiest ways to travel, but cruising isn’t immune to unexpected hiccups. Sudden illness, travel delays, or other unforeseen events could cancel or interrupt your cruising plans — you might even need medical coverage. …

I recently returned from an Alaska cruise with my family where we sailed the Inside Passage from Anchorage, Alaska, (via Whittier, Alaska) to Vancouver, Canada. Overall I enjoyed the trip, especially since I was traveling with family and I always…

An Alaska cruise is a dream vacation for many travelers. Sailing through glaciers, spotting bald eagles and humpback whales, and wandering through quaint towns is what it’s all about. Whether or not you’ve cruised before, going on a cruise in…

Cruising has long been a popular way for people to travel, especially for those that are retired. There’s something about getting to enjoy an endless amount of food, drinks, and onboard activities while the ship takes you from one destination…

Exploring the seventh continent is on everyone’s bucket list, right? That’s what I told myself as I perused Antarctic cruises for the hundredth time in February 2022, anxiously refreshing to try and find an option that was reasonably priced. Fortunately…

The Ritz-Carlton Yacht Collection finally debuted its first ship, Evrima, in October 2022, after years of delays. This new small-ship luxury cruise line is currently offering sailings throughout the Mediterranean and the Caribbean. Each sailing is unique, so guests can…

Did you know you can earn or use your Marriott Bonvoy points on a cruise? Using points for a cruise isn’t quite as common as using points for a flight or hotel, but it’s doable. Cruise credit cards don’t have…

A Galápagos cruise has been on the top of my bucket list for years. I knew when I was able to finally make it happen that I wanted to book it with Lindblad/National Geographic Expeditions (those beautiful, glossy catalogs that…

UPDATE: The partnership between World of Hyatt and Lindblad Expeditions ended on December 31, 2023. It’s no longer possible to earn or use Hyatt points on Lindblad cruises. We love earning and using points here at Upgraded Points, and we…

Lindblad Expeditions/National Geographic is a cruise line like no other. When you’re on a one of these cruises, you’ll not only travel to remote and exotic locations, but you’ll do so in the company of world-renowned photographers, naturalists, and scientists….

Princess Cruises is a luxury cruise line that sails to hundreds of destinations all over the world. It currently operates 15 large ships, with 1 more coming in 2024. This luxury cruise line offers destination-specific and cultural experiences (think traditional…

Holland America Cruise Line has been around since 1873. It was started as the Netherlands-America Steamship Company, which was headquartered in the Netherlands and provided service to America. Since then it has grown to carry over 800,000 passengers a year…

Mediterranean Shipping Company has been in business since 1970. It started as a cargo shipping company and branched off into the world of passenger cruises in 1988 with its MSC Cruises division. Today, MSC is the world’s largest privately-owned cruise…

It’s an unprecedented time in our society right now, with the spread of COVID-19 affecting all aspects of daily life. And unfortunately, the virus pandemic is also putting a lot of travel plans on hold. The cruise industry has been…

Crystal Cruises has been offering luxury cruise vacations since 1990. This all-inclusive cruise line doesn’t have a large fleet, but what they do have focuses on total luxury and intimate, small ship sailings. With Crystal Cruises you won’t find mega-ships…

Viking Cruise Line is probably more well-known for river cruising, but did you know that they offer ocean cruises, as well? Since 2015, Viking Ocean Cruises has been a leader in “small ship” cruising. You’ll notice lots of differences between…

A Disney cruise is a fantasy vacation for so many families. It combines the magic of Walt Disney World with the excitement of a cruise. Disney Cruise Line has been around since 1998 and has come to be a fan…

Celebrity might not be the first name that comes to mind when you think of ocean cruising, but it is still a major player. Celebrity Cruises has been around since 1988. It was founded by a Greek company for the…