Expert Cruise Advice and Travel Inspiration

Planning a cruise holiday or craving some travel inspiration? Let our expert advice and destination guides pique your wanderlust.

Cruise118.com Advice is full of everything you could need to get more from your cruise holidays. From local cuisine and natural wonders to practical advice and behind the scenes glimpses into on-board life, our travel and lifestyle experts cover it all.

Whether you cruise for relaxation or exotic adventures, get yourself comfortable and take a peek!

MSC Cruises: A breath of la dolce vita

by Sara Macefield - 24 Aug 2017

Massage beds topped with bowls of flower petals in the Aurea spa on MSC Armonia

In an arena dominated by American names, MSC Cruises brings a welcome breath of la dolce vita to the cruising world. Unashamedly Italian in style and spirit, this Geneva-based line – the glamorous spin-off of the giant family-owned MSC container shipping empire – has always promoted its continental credentials. MSC Sinfonia pool deck As its...

Why a fjords cruise is the best way to see Norway

by Emma Smith - 15 Aug 2017

View over Forsand from the top of one of the fjords cliffs

Norway’s fjords are one of the most iconic sights on Earth. Carved by glaciers over millions of years, these ancient coves are doorways to some of Norway’s most picturesque towns and villages. What is a fjord? Fjords are created by glaciers that have retreated and left behind empty U-shaped valleys. Each steep-sided inlet is then...

The truth about norovirus on cruise ships

by Gary Buchanan - 11 Aug 2017

Family choosing food from a buffet on-board a Royal Caribbean cruise ship

Norovirus hits the headlines again – but this time it’s not on a cruise ship. Tabloid newspapers go into overdrive when an outbreak of norovirus – or stomach flu - occurs on a cruise ship. ‘Gastro bug strikes hundreds at sea’ was one recent example of the dramatic headlines. It is a cheap way to...

Five myths about family cruises

by Emma Smith - 9 Aug 2017

A mother and her two daughters enjoying ice cones on a Crystal Cruises ship

Updated 13.12.2022 1. The kids will get bored Crazy golf on-board Carnival cruises Ignore everything you have heard about cruise ships being stuffy, slow-paced and more suited to elderly passengers. Over the past decade, cruising has undergone a revolution designed to make ships more accessible to all. Hop on-board the likes of Norwegian Epic, MSC…

Brewing up a new generation of cruise beers

by Sara Macefield - 9 Aug 2017

Couple enjoying craft beers at a marble table in a cruise port

Do you fancy a Double Dragon or a Wee Heavy? Or perhaps you’d like your taste-buds tickled by a Bikini Blonde or a Good Old Boy? Anyone who doesn’t know their brews will be understandably baffled at this point (as I was originally!), but lovers of the amber nectar may well be salivating at the...

Western Mediterranean: Cruising’s most popular playground

by Gary Buchanan - 8 Aug 2017

Bright blue sea lapping onto a lush shoreline in the Western Mediterranean

The Mediterranean could be said to be the ‘cradle of civilisation’. Enclosed by three continents, the world’s largest inland sea stretches more than 2,200 miles from the Straits of Gibraltar to the Black Sea. It’s not surprising, then, that the history of the Mediterranean is sea-based. The transfer of goods, languages, religion, rituals, fashions and...

Central America and the Panama Canal: An exotic treat and engineering legend

by Sara Macefield - 7 Aug 2017

Close-up of a sloth hanging from a tree in the Costa Rican jungle

Untamed tropical jungle, vibrant wildlife and evocative colonial cities set against that backdrop of a heady Latin beat make Central America an intoxicating destination for cruisers. This narrow strip of nations that connects North and South America is conveniently close to Florida’s main cruise ports, yet has a suitably exotic spiciness that makes these countries...

The big five: Beyond Africa

by Emma Smith - 2 Aug 2017

Post updated: 07/03/2019 Seeing Africa’s Big Five is on virtually every traveller’s bucket list, but this exciting continent isn’t the only place home to a group of iconic animals. From frozen wildernesses to unlikely European wildlife hot spots, here are the best places to see a ‘Big Five’ beyond Africa. Antarctica Big Five: Orca, wandering...

Is it time to call time on cruise tips?

by Sara Macefield - 31 Jul 2017

Staff and guests in the Blue Bar on-board a P&O Cruises ship

If there is one topic guaranteed to spark heated debate among cruisers, it is the thorny issue of tipping and service fees. For first-timers, extra charges can come as a nasty shock and while seasoned cruisers are more accustomed to the gratuity system, traditionalists resent the relatively high amounts charged by some (mainly American) lines....

Fred. Olsen Balmoral: Where tradition is far from stuffy

by Gary Buchanan - 25 Jul 2017

Lady being served afternoon tea on-board Fred. Olsen cruise ship, Balmoral

The flagship of Fred. Olsen Cruise Lines’ fleet has a colourful pedigree. Originally built in 1988 for the now defunct Royal Cruise Line, the 1,350-passenger Balmoral sailed with NCL as Norwegian Crown before it was purchased by Fred. Olsen in 2007. The vessel underwent a major refurbishment the following year, including the addition of a...