CruiseStar
CruiseStar journal
Stories from the fleet
Guides, sailor adventures, and notes on the ships people actually sail. Every published piece names its author.
22 results for “How it works”
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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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Adventure · 2 min
Taino Bay Puerto Plata: Dominican pier, cable car, and Amber Cove differences
Taino Bay is the newer Puerto Plata cruise terminal near downtown. Compare operators, excursions, and how it differs from Amber Cove on the same coast.
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
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 · 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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Adventure · 3 min
Mahahual port day: Costa Maya pier, village beach, and reef time
How Mahahual differs from the Costa Maya cruise complex, what to do on a short call, and how to plan hours ashore without missing all-aboard.
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
Costa Maya cruise port guide: Mahahual beaches and Mayan ruins day trips
Costa Maya Mexico port day: cruise village, Mahahual beach walk, Chacchoben ruins tours, taxis, and independent time ashore on the Yucatan coast.
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 · 4 min
Cruise luggage guide: how many bags, tags, and cabin delivery
Cruise luggage rules explained: how many bags you can bring, how tags work, when suitcases arrive at the cabin, carry-on tips, and embarkation-day bag 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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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 · 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 · 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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Adventure · 3 min
What to do in Nassau on a cruise port day: forts, markets, and beaches
Nassau cruise port day guide: walking to downtown, straw market, forts, Atlantis options, taxis, and how to use your hours ashore in the Bahamas capital.
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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Adventure · 4 min
Port Canaveral cruise guide: Florida homeport tips for embarkation day
Plan a Port Canaveral cruise: parking, Orlando airport timing, terminal layout, and what sails from one of the world's busiest cruise homeports.
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 · 2 min
Speed Rating explained: how CruiseStar's swipe-to-rate game works
Everything you need to know about Speed Rating, how to play, what your swipes actually save, how to undo a mistake, and why it's the fastest way to build a real cruise log.
CruiseStar
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Guide · 3 min
How CruiseStar ship ratings work (and why they're different from other sites)
A full breakdown of how CruiseStar's 1-5 star ship ratings are calculated, how they differ from hearts and sailed marks, and why a sailor-only score is more trustworthy than a booking site's review average.
CruiseStar
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Guide · 2 min
Seasickness on a cruise: how worried should you actually be?
How likely you are to get seasick on a modern ship, which remedies work, and why cabin location matters more than most people realize.
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