Luxury Cruise News - Page 6 of 13

Dressing Up (or Down) on a Cruise

If you’re new to cruising, you’ll want to make sure that you pack all the essentials that you need for a great trip. You may be wondering what to pack in terms of clothes. Don’t worry — we’ll help to make sure that you’re all ready to go. Each cruise line has a dress code in place, but we can help you understand the differences so you can get packing. Keep reading to learn more about the dress code for your upcoming cruise.

Carnival Cruise Line

If you’re taking a Carnival Cruise Line cruise, you’ll get the chance to wear a lot of casual attire. Most evenings the dress code is “cruise casual,” so you’ll be fine wearing khakis, collared sports shirts, pants, jeans, and blouses. “Cruise elegant” attire is suggested for a few special evenings. Think dress shirts, cocktail dresses, pantsuits, and sports coats. You won’t need to pull out the tuxedos and evening gowns, but you can if you want.

Holland America

You’ll also find that the Holland America dress code is also quite casual. Most evenings are “resort casual,” and clothing like slacks, collared shirts, skirts, slacks, and blouses are acceptable. For the evenings that have a formal option, the dress code is referred to as “Gala Night” wear. For these gala evenings, you can plan to wear suits, tuxedos, jackets, cocktail dresses, and gowns.

MSC Cruises

If you’re taking an MSC Cruises journey, we have you covered! Most of the time, you can get away with “casual wear” on your cruise. “Gala Dinners” on the other hand, require travelers to wear more formal attire. Suits, jackets, ties, and cocktail dresses are acceptable for these evening events.

Oceania Cruises

Oceania Cruises has an easy to follow dress code to make things stress-free. Plan to wear country club and resort-style attire like button-down shirts and slacks and dresses and skirts and tops. For evening events, plan to dress more elegant. This cruise line keeps things pretty casual, which is excellent if you don’t feel like pulling out your gowns!

Princess Cruises

Another favorite cruise line is Princess Cruises. This cruise line has both formal and smart-casual evenings. When it’s formal attire night, plan to wear tuxedos, dark suits, evening gowns, cocktail dresses, and elegant pantsuits. For smart-casual attire, plan to bring pants, slacks, sweaters, and blouses.

Regent Seven Seas Cruises

When you cruise with Regent Seven Seas, “casual” wear is perfect for daytime, and resort-style attire is best. In the evenings, plan to dress “elegant casual,” which means items like collared shirts, skirts, slacks, blouses, and sweaters. Some longer cruises have formal or semi-formal nights, which require gowns, cocktail dresses, and tuxedos.

For all cruise lines, you can’t wear swimwear in the dining areas. Some cruise lines also have special theme nights, where you’re encouraged to dress up to match the theme!

8 Essentials for Cruise Excursions

A well-packed excursion bag is essential for any cruise. Whether you plan on snorkeling in the crystal waters or strolling through city streets, a few must-have items equal stress-free adventures! Here are a few items that belong in your day bag!

Waterproof iPhone Case

The highly-rated JOTO Universal Waterproof Smartphone Case will be your best friend while on the beach, fishing, snorkeling, and boating. The clear window lets you take pictures and check messages, and the lock access protects your phone from water, snow, dust sand, and dirt.

Medications

Be prepared for any unexpected aches and pains. Bring along pain reliever, motion sickness tabs, and anti-diarrhea or stomach medications, Benedryl, bandaids, and any prescription medications you take during the day. We recommend only taking the pills you need for the day, leave your bottle in the cabin in case something happens to your day bag.

Selfie Stick & Tripod All in One

The Selfie Stick & Tripod Fugetek all in one selfie stick & tripod quickly flips and locks so you can take insta worthy pics in a flash. Collapsed, the built-in tripod folds to 19 inches; extend it reaches up to 51 inches. The selfie stick and tripod are surprisingly lightweight, only one pound, and is bluetooth compatible.

Collapsible Water Bottles

It is crucial to stay hydrated while on your excursion. The lightweight Calacone collapsible water bottle easily rolls up when empty. It’s safe, made of 100% FDA approved food grade silicone and free from harmful chemicals. Even better, it’s leak-proof, has a full mouth design for ice, and keeps liquids hot or cold for hours. Tough enough to withstand drops and vigorous activity makes the Calacone water bottle perfect for excursions.

Passport

Bring your passport with you on your excursion, but always keep a photocopy of your documents in your cabin in the event that something happens to your original.

Portable Charger

Your iPhone is not helpful if the battery dies, so be sure to bring a portable charger. With leading technology, this high-speed charger comes with a travel pouch and charges your iPhone up to seven times, galaxy up to 5 times and iPad mini two times.

Disposable Rain Poncho

You never know when you’ll be caught in the rain. These disposable rain ponchos are small and individually packed to fit in your day bag for those unexpected downpours. Although they are thin, the Lingito rain ponchos are 100% waterproof. Just toss after use.

Quick Dry Towel

Youphoria super absorbent and fast-drying towels can hold up to five times their weight in water and dry ten times faster than regular towels. Each towel comes with a carry bag, are odor-free, mildew resistant, and repel sand and debris.

Of course, if you’re heading to the beach, be sure to pack the essentials: sunscreen, lip balm, sunglasses, towels, etc. These ten overlooked essentials will make your excursion stress free. If you are searching for a day bag, check out one of our favorites here!

Silversea Opens Up Bookings for 2024, the leader in Luxury Cruising.

Silversea Cruises has announced itineraries for 2024.

ALL-INCLUSIVE EXCLUSIVITY

With Silversea cruises you enjoy free-flowing premium wines and spirits, delicious gourmet cuisine, in-suite dining, full butler service for every suite and of course all gratuities. Savour the peace of mind of knowing that there is no salient price-tag at the end of a wonderful night of entertainment. Which is also complimentary, by the way. Whether you long to mingle in the Mediterranean, swim with the turtles of the Galapagos or embrace the glaciers of Alaska, there is something special about knowing that this cruising is all inclusive.

Silversea Cruises, leader in Luxury Cruising.

The Best Time of Year to Cruise the Greek Isles

Made up of hundreds of beautiful islands with breathtaking views, it’s no wonder why Greece is a favorite vacation spot for many. For cruise lovers, this is an ideal destination because you can take your time exploring each island and can comfortably cruise between them. You want to make sure that you plan to island hop at the right time, so you have an enjoyable cruise experience. This can help you avoid excess crowds and take advantage of excellent weather conditions. Check out our tips to help you plan your trip and pick the best time of year to go on a cruise in the Greek Isles.

The typical cruising season runs from May through October, which gives you a lot of options for planning travel dates. But, you should know that some months will still be very hot, which can make wandering around the islands more uncomfortable. You’ll likely want to visit when the weather is better, and the temperatures are more moderate because you will better enjoy getting out and exploring.

July and August are the most popular times for cruise tourists due to having more time off from work and school. So, if you cruise at this time, you’ll have to deal with full cruise ships and busy islands. These months also offer hotter temperatures. If you’re flexible on your cruise dates, avoid planning a trip during those months!

To skip the hot weather and crowds, some travelers choose to visit in May or September. The temperatures will be more comfortable, and the islands and cruise ships are not quite as packed, which can make for a less stressful experience as you go about your adventuring. If you’re open to it, you may even want to look into booking late April or early October cruises as most tourists will avoid this timing due to cooler weather. Even with breezier weather and lower temperatures, you can still have an enjoyable experience.

Best cruises for Photography Buffs

Travel can be especially exciting for those who love to take photos. Why? Because they have incredible landscapes and views to capture on their journey! If you’re considering planning an upcoming cruise, you may want to book one that offers photo classes and specialty photo experiences. There are some excellent cruises for photo lovers. Take a look at the best cruises for photography buffs:

Seabourn Cruise Line

When you set sail with luxury cruise brand Seabourn on select cruises, you’ll get to take advantage of additional offerings that are perfect for photography buffs. Antarctica and Patagonia cruises feature digital photography workshops so that you can perfect your craft. You’ll also have access to special guest speakers. Finally, visiting such destinations like Antarctica and Patagonia, you’ll get some great photo opportunities.

National Geographic Expeditions

If you’re into photography, taking a National Geographic cruise is a must. For starters, you’ll visit some of the most incredible destinations on the globe. When you book a photography cruise, there will be a National Geographic photographer on board during the journey to provide insight and tips! Just look for journeys that sail on the National Geographic Explorer and National Geographic Orion. This is an excellent way to improve your photography skills while capturing amazing photos. Need some inspiration? We recommend the Galapagos Voyage or the Journey to Antarctica.

Silversea Cruises

Those who choose to cruise with Silversea have access to a photo studio on their ship! Here travelers can take masterclasses in digital photography and editing, use photo editing software, and print photos that were taken during the cruise. This offering is available on the Silver Cloud ship. Whether you’re a newbie photographer or more advanced, this is a nice added feature! The Silver Cloud sails to destinations like Cape Town, Lima, Dublin, Reykjavik, and many others.

Holland America Line

Holland America has its Microsoft Studio available on its ships. Small group learning courses are available here, including digital photography classes. This is the perfect opportunity to improve your photo editing and digital photography skills. Most ships have this offering available, so pick your favorite cruise journey!

These are some of the best cruise options for photography buffs. No matter which cruise you choose to sail on, you’re in for a treat. As you explore new destinations, you’ll have the perfect scenery and subjects for some incredible photo opportunities. Enjoy your cruise!

Aqua Expeditions

Rooftop seating overlooking the beach at Xela

Plying the Papuan seas Matu Jitu waterfall on Moyo Island, Indonesia © Aqua Expeditions When he launched his expedition yacht Aqua Blu in Eastern Indonesia in 2019, Francesco Galli Zugaro challenged the received wisdom that the way to do live-aboard life, whether in Komodo, Raja Ampat or the Banda islands, was on a traditional phinisi sailing ship. His 15-cabin, expedition-class, recently refurbished beauty has all the comforts you’d imagine, from sleek contemporary cabin design to outrageously good food. Plus its own PADI-certified dive masters, stabilisation technology for smooth open-ocean sailing (won’t find that on a phinisi), and ultra-fast, ultra-shallow tenders.

A selection of dishes served at Raffles Bali

In November 2025 Aqua Blu will relocate temporarily to West Papua, as pristine a part of south-east Asia as you’ll find. A visit to a spice market in Indonesia © Aqua Expeditions Snorkelling off the Aqua Blu © Aqua Expeditions Two itineraries both departing from the tiny town of Kaimana will stop variously at Triton Bay, Kiti-Kiti (the protected waterfall that pours directly into the sea) and – most compellingly – Asmat, still the least-developed region in Indonesia, and home to the legendary tribe of the same name. Guests will visit communal houses and observe artisans; the Asmat are renowned for wood-carving and shell work. Galli Zugaro has built a sterling reputation for finding both unalloyed cultural experiences and untrammelled nature for his guests, from the Peruvian Amazon to the Mekong; we’re expecting no less here. aquaexpeditions.com, from $12,290 for seven nights