I have four river cruise certifications and still have not sailed one myself. Here is the honest breakdown of river cruise versus ocean cruise, ship size, where you dock, what is included, and how to know which one fits you.

I drove the west coast of Ireland with my sister in April and came home with a very clear opinion about timing. We stood at the Cliffs of Moher soaking wet with a broken raincoat zipper and did not move for twenty minutes. April is not even peak season. This post is what I learned about when to actually go, and why I chose September for the 2027 hosted group trip.

Aaron and I flew to Alaska a few days before the rest of the family, and we made the most of it. This post covers the part of our Alaska cruisetour that came before the ship ever left the dock: the glass dome train to Talkeetna, the lodge at the base of Denali, and two nights in Anchorage that were nothing like what I expected. If you are trying to decide whether the land portion of an Alaska cruisetour is worth adding to your trip, this one is for you.

Alaska is one of those destinations that stays with you long after you return home. As a certified Alaska Expert, I am sharing the shore excursions worth booking at every port, the ones worth skipping, and the one rule I give every single client before they sail.

Ireland travel tips from a travel advisor who spent nine nights on the island. Honest advice, real stories, and the itinerary she now recommends.