CruiseStar
CruiseStar journal
Stories from the fleet
Guides, sailor adventures, and notes on the ships people actually sail. Every published piece names its author.
35 results for “Family”
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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 · 1 min
First-cruise ship finder: shortlist ships before you book
How first-time cruisers should shortlist ships by vibe, size, and budget, and how CruiseStar’s free ship finder quiz uses the live catalog.
CruiseStar
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Guide · 2 min
Cruise packing list: a free generator sized to your ship and sailing
How to pack for a cruise without drowning in generic lists, and how CruiseStar’s free packing list generator builds a checklist from your ship, dates, and quiz answers.
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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Adventure · 2 min
Grand Turk cruise center: beach at the pier, Cockburn Town, and reef snorkel
Grand Turk Cruise Center offers pier-side beach and pools. Add Cockburn Town history, Gibbs Cay stingrays, or snorkel trips on Turks and Caicos port days.
CruiseStar
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Guide · 6 min
Airport to cruise port transportation: shuttles, rideshare, taxis, and transfers
How to get from the airport to the cruise port: cruise line transfers, shared shuttles, rideshare, taxis, rental cars, hotels, timing buffers, and luggage tips for embarkation day.
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 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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Adventure · 2 min
Puerto Vallarta port day: Malecon, Zona Romantica, and Mexican Riviera timing
Puerto Vallarta cruise calls use the Muelle de Cruceros. Plan Malecon walks, old town tiles, beach clubs, and return time on Mexican Riviera itineraries.
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 · 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 · 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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Adventure · 4 min
Cruising with babies, toddlers, and small kids: what parents should know
Cruising with babies, toddlers, and young kids: age rules, cabins, kids clubs, packing, nap strategy, port days, and how to pick a family-friendly ship.
CruiseStar
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Adventure · 3 min
Seattle cruise port guide: Alaska season homeport at Pier 66 and Pier 91
Seattle Alaska cruise homeport: Pier 66 vs Pier 91, airport links, embarkation, and what to expect before Inside Passage sailings from Washington.
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 · 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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Adventure · 4 min
What is the cruise duck hiding tradition?
What the cruise duck hiding tradition is, how rubber duck hunts work onboard, tag etiquette, where not to hide ducks, and how CruiseStar’s duck hunt fits in.
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 · 5 min
Cruising ducks explained: the history of rubber ducks on cruise ships
Why are there rubber ducks on cruise ships? The history of the cruising ducks tradition, from a family's 2018 Carnival cruise to Facebook groups and app-based duck collections, and why sailors love it.
CruiseStar
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Guide · 5 min
Cruise industry statistics 2026: 20 facts and trends
Twenty current cruise statistics covering global passengers, age, destinations, fleet capacity, repeat intent, economic impact, and ship sanitation, with primary sources.
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 · 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
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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
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
What actually happens after dinner on a cruise ship
How casinos work at sea, what late-night entertainment looks like, dress codes after dark, and age requirements for nightlife venues onboard.
CruiseStar
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Guide · 2 min
Cruising with kids and teens: what parents actually need to know before booking
How kids club age groups work, whether teens really enjoy cruising, babysitting options, and the family cabin questions every parent runs into.
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