CruiseStar
CruiseStar journal
Stories from the fleet
Guides, sailor adventures, and notes on the ships people actually sail. Every published piece names its author.
25 results for “Best ships”
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Guide · 9 min
Book a cruise with the cruise line or an independent travel agency?
Should you book a cruise directly with the cruise line or through an independent travel agent? Compare price, onboard credit, support, price drops, and when each option actually wins.
CruiseStar
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Guide · 4 min
Cruise countdown: the free way to track days until your next sailing
How a cruise countdown builds anticipation, keeps multiple bookings organized, and why CruiseStar’s free countdown tool is built for shareable roll-call energy.
CruiseStar
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Guide · 2 min
Best Seabourn ships: all-suite Encore class versus the expedition fleet
Compare Seabourn's all-suite Encore-class ocean ships with its purpose-built Venture and Pursuit expedition ships, and see what the Seabourn Club loyalty program adds.
CruiseStar
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Guide · 6 min
First-time cruiser tips: what to know before your first ocean sailing
First-time cruiser tips for embarkation, packing, dining, port days, money onboard, and choosing a beginner-friendly ship without brochure overwhelm.
CruiseStar
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Guide · 2 min
Best Oceania Cruises ships: Allura class, R-class, and 'The Finest Cuisine at Sea'
Compare Oceania's newest Allura-class ships with its classic R-class vessels, and see how the line's culinary-first identity and country-club-casual dress code shape the right pick.
CruiseStar
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Guide · 5 min
Where to find cruise groups for your sailing date (and why CruiseStar fits)
Looking for a cruise roll call or sailing group for your exact dates? Compare Facebook groups, forums, and CruiseStar roll calls, ship chat, friends, and sailor ratings.
CruiseStar
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Guide · 2 min
Best AIDA Cruises ships and what to expect as a non-German-speaking guest
An AIDA Cruises guide focused on its German-speaking onboard culture, casual club-style atmosphere, and how the Clubschiff and Hyperion-class ships compare.
CruiseStar
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Guide · 2 min
Best P&O Cruises ships: family ships versus the adults-only fleet
P&O Cruises compared by audience: family-oriented Iona, Arvia, and Britannia against the historically adults-only Arcadia and Aurora, with UK homeport planning.
CruiseStar
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Guide · 4 min
Main dining room vs specialty restaurants on a cruise
Main dining room vs specialty restaurants: what is included, when specialty is worth the fee, reservation timing, dress expectations, and how to mix both without wasting money.
CruiseStar
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Guide · 2 min
Best Cunard ships: Queen Mary 2's crossing versus the Queen Anne and Queen Victoria
Compare Cunard's true ocean liner, Queen Mary 2, with the more contemporary Queen Anne, Queen Victoria, and Queen Elizabeth, and understand what White Star Service actually means.
CruiseStar
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Guide · 1 min
Best Viking ocean ships and what its no-children policy means for your trip
A Viking Cruises guide explaining the line's strict 18-plus age policy, its identical-sister-ship ocean fleet, and how that shapes onboard atmosphere versus other premium lines.
CruiseStar
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Guide · 2 min
Best Costa Cruises ships: LNG-powered flagships and classic Mediterranean favorites
A Costa Cruises guide covering the Smeralda and Toscana LNG-powered ships, older Costa favorites, and how Italian heritage shapes the onboard experience.
CruiseStar
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Guide · 2 min
Best Holland America ships: Pinnacle class, the Culinary Council, and longer voyages
Compare Holland America's Pinnacle-class flagships with its Signature and Vista-class ships, and see how the line's Culinary Council and longer itineraries shape the right choice.
CruiseStar
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Guide · 2 min
Best Princess Cruises ships for Alaska, and how the Medallion changes every sailing
A Princess Cruises guide centered on Alaska deployment, Royal-class ships, the Ocean Medallion wearable technology, and how to choose between Princess's classes.
CruiseStar
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Guide · 4 min
Cruise shows and entertainment: do you need reservations?
Do cruise shows need reservations? How theater seating, comedy clubs, ice shows, and premium entertainment work, plus when to book and when walk-up is fine.
CruiseStar
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Guide · 2 min
Best Celebrity Cruises ships: Edge class, Solstice class, and The Retreat
Compare Celebrity's Edge-class flagships with the Solstice and Millennium-class fleet, and see when The Retreat suite complex is worth the upgrade.
CruiseStar
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Guide · 2 min
Best Virgin Voyages ships: comparing the four Ladies for adults-only cruising
Scarlet Lady, Valiant Lady, Resilient Lady, and Brilliant Lady compared for adults-only travelers, with a close look at RockStar Suites and restaurant-style dining strategy.
CruiseStar
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Guide · 2 min
Best MSC Cruises ships: World class, Meraviglia class, and the Yacht Club upgrade
An MSC Cruises guide covering World-class megaships, Meraviglia and Seaside-class ships, the MSC Yacht Club suite complex, and Ocean Cay planning.
CruiseStar
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Guide · 2 min
Best Disney Cruise Line ships: new, classic, and how rotational dining decides it
Compare Disney's newest Wish-class ships with the classic Magic, Wonder, Dream, and Fantasy vessels, and see how rotational dining and character experiences change the right pick.
CruiseStar
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Guide · 2 min
Best Norwegian Cruise Line ships and how Freestyle changes the choice
A Norwegian Cruise Line guide built around Freestyle dining logistics, Prima-class design, The Haven suite complex, and Great Stirrup Cay planning.
CruiseStar
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Guide · 5 min
The cruise duck hunt: rules, etiquette, and the best hiding spots
The unwritten cruise duck rules: where you can and cannot hide ducks on a cruise ship, what to put on a tag, how re-hiding works, and how rarities work in CruiseStar's NFC duck hunt.
CruiseStar
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Guide · 2 min
Best Carnival ships: Excel class, Vista class, and the value fleet
Compare Carnival's Excel-class flagships against its Vista, Dream, and Fantasy-class ships, with a clear look at what changes between a newly refurbished ship and an older one.
CruiseStar
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Guide · 5 min
Where can I get cruise ship rubber ducks? (5 places that actually work)
Looking for cruise rubber ducks? Five sources that work: bulk online orders, craft stores, cruise duck Facebook groups, finding them onboard, and CruiseStar's free NFC ducks for the app duck hunt.
CruiseStar
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Guide · 2 min
Best Royal Caribbean ships in every class, from Icon to Vision
A class-by-class Royal Caribbean guide: Icon, Oasis, Quantum, Freedom, and older ships, plus CocoCay planning and how to choose without getting lost in deck plans.
CruiseStar
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Guide · 5 min
Free cruise ducks: how to get rubber ducks for your next cruise
Want free cruise ducks? Here is how the cruising ducks tradition works, how CruiseStar ships free NFC ducks to engaged members, and how to find and collect ducks once you are aboard.
CruiseStar