Star of the Seas vs Icon of the Seas: The Same Ship, One Year Apart
October 19, 2026
Star and Icon of the Seas are the same ship built twice: identical tonnage, guests, crew and decks. Here is what actually
Cruise Comparisons
Straight-talking cruise advice from working specialists — what to book early, what to skip, what nobody tells you until you’re already aboard. No sponsored fluff, no brochure language, just the notes we give our own clients.
Written byWorking cruise specialists
CoversBooking · Packing · Ports · Onboard
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The specialist's notes
Advice From People Who Book These Trips Daily
Everything here comes out of real bookings — the questions our clients actually ask, the mistakes we watch first-timers make, and the small decisions that separate a good week at sea from a great one. Read what’s useful, then let us do the booking part at no cost to you.
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Cruise Comparisons
Straight comparisons between the choices cruisers agonise over — two ports, two lines, two ships, two cabin types — with a recommendation, not a shrug. 24 articles.
P&O Cruises: What British Cruising Is Actually Like
October 16, 2026
P&O is the British domestic cruise line, and that shapes everything — currency, sailing dates, tone and who is on board. Here
The Best Cruise Line for Alaska: It Depends What You Want to See
October 9, 2026
Princess and Holland America win Alaska on land, not at sea. Here is which line suits which traveller, and who each one
MSC Cruises Reviews: What the Ratings Actually Disagree About
October 7, 2026
MSC reviews split harder than any other line’s. The disagreement is real and predictable — here is what causes it and whether
Is a Cruise Worth It? An Honest Assessment
September 16, 2026
Is a cruise worth it? For the right traveller it is unmatched value for a multi-destination holiday. For the wrong one it
Princess Plus vs Premier: Which Package Is Worth It
August 29, 2026
Plus is around $65 a day and Premier around $100, as of August 2026. Three things separate them, and gratuities are not
Celebrity Drink Packages: Classic vs Premium, and What All Included Really Means
August 29, 2026
The Classic package covers drinks to $12 and Premium to $19. What that difference actually buys, and why All Included is an
NCL Free at Sea: What Changed and What You Actually Get
August 29, 2026
Free at Sea stopped being choose-your-perks in November 2025. All four components now come together. What that means for your booking.
MSC Drink Packages: What Is Included and What Is Not
August 29, 2026
MSC now sells three packages, not five — Easy and Easy Plus are gone. Plus the gratuities question everyone gets wrong, answered
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