CruiseStar
CruiseStar journal
Stories from the fleet
Guides, sailor adventures, and notes on the ships people actually sail. Every published piece names its author.
39 results for “Dining”
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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 formal night, theme nights, and dress codes: what should you wear?
What to wear on cruise formal night and theme nights: modern dress codes by venue, smart casual defaults, kids’ clothing, and how strict ships actually are now.
CruiseStar
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Guide · 1 min
Cruise tip calculator: estimate gratuities before you sail
How cruise tip and service charges work by line, and how CruiseStar’s free tip calculator estimates totals for guests and nights.
CruiseStar
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Guide · 5 min
Cruise embarkation day: what time can you board and what happens
What happens on cruise embarkation day: boarding times, check-in windows, security, muster, cabin ready timing, luggage, and how to make the first hours onboard calmer.
CruiseStar
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Guide · 5 min
Cruise Wi-Fi package: how it works and whether it is worth it
How cruise Wi-Fi packages work, what speeds to expect, per-device pricing, streaming limits, and a simple way to decide if onboard internet is worth buying.
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 · 5 min
Which cruise ship should I choose? A practical decision guide
How to choose a cruise ship by vibe, size, homeport, and sailor ratings, plus free CruiseStar tools to compare hulls before you put down a deposit.
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 · 4 min
Is the cruise drink package worth it? How to decide before you buy
Is a cruise drink package worth it? Compare prepaid package cost to a la carte drinks, coffee, and water, and run the free CruiseStar drink package calculator.
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 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 · 14 min
Cruise ship safety: how to stay safe on a cruise
A detailed cruise ship safety guide covering muster drills, illness, falls, balconies, alcohol, children, solo travel, medical care, excursions, and emergencies.
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 · 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 · 2 min
Ocean cruises vs. river cruises: what's actually different?
Ocean cruising and river cruising are not the same vacation. Here's how ship size, itinerary style, onboard activities, and pricing actually differ, plus why CruiseStar's catalog leads with ocean ships first.
CruiseStar
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Guide · 2 min
Utopia of the Seas vs Wonder of the Seas: which Oasis-class ship should you book?
Same Oasis-class bones, different itinerary and crowd, how Royal Caribbean's short-cruise flagship compares to its longer-sailing sister.
CruiseStar
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Guide · 1 min
What's new on MSC World America
MSC's newest World-class ship in the Americas: what changed from the European sisters, and who the ship is actually built for.
CruiseStar
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Guide · 1 min
First Disney cruise? Start with Wish or Treasure
Disney Wish and Disney Treasure are the line's newest ships, what a first-time Disney sailor should know before picking between them.
CruiseStar
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Guide · 2 min
9 mistakes first-time mega-ship cruisers make
Embarkation-day queues, the wrong carry-on, and the gratuity surprise, the small errors that catch new sailors on a big ship, and how to skip them.
CruiseStar
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Guide · 2 min
What's actually included on Norwegian Cruise Line
Drinks, Wi-Fi, specialty dining, and daily gratuities on Norwegian, what comes with the fare, what is a paid add-on, and what changes by promotion.
CruiseStar
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Guide · 2 min
Icon of the Seas vs Oasis of the Seas: which ship should you book?
Same Royal Caribbean DNA, different eras, neighborhoods, thrills, and who each ship is actually built for, with live CruiseStar ratings and sailor reviews.
CruiseStar
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Guide · 2 min
Icon of the Seas vs Oasis of the Seas: which ship should you book?
Same Royal Caribbean DNA, different eras, neighborhoods, thrills, and who each ship is actually built for, with live CruiseStar ratings and sailor reviews.
CruiseStar
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Guide · 2 min
Cruise ship entertainment has changed a lot, here's what to expect
How Broadway-style production shows work onboard, whether you need reservations, what the first and last nights look like, and how entertainment differs by cruise line.
CruiseStar
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Guide · 2 min
Cruise drink packages and gratuities: doing the math before you sail
How onboard drink packages actually work, whether they're worth it, how gratuities get charged, and how to avoid a final bill that catches you off guard.
CruiseStar
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Guide · 2 min
Flexible dining vs. a fixed seating time: which one actually fits how you travel?
My Time Dining, Anytime Dining, and Freestyle explained against traditional early and late seating, and how to switch if you picked wrong.
CruiseStar
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Guide · 2 min
Is specialty dining on a cruise worth it? A practical look at cost, timing, and value
How much specialty restaurants actually cost, when to book them, whether a dining package makes sense, and what to expect if you show up without a reservation.
CruiseStar
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Guide · 2 min
The cruise buffet, demystified: hours, crowds, and what's actually included
When the buffet opens and closes, whether it's included, how busy it gets, and how it stacks up against the main dining room.
CruiseStar