9 Best Cruise Lines for Couples

To date, I have not taken a cruise with a "significant other", so I cannot vouch for the following. But reading on might be worth one's while.

It is nine best cruise lines for couples. It is divided into different categories.

Posted by Cruise Critic, the article starts with:

A cruise with your significant other can be one of the most romantic vacation options, but choosing from the best cruise lines for couples can be a challenge. You don't want that sunset marred by crowds on deck, the romance of a dinner for two killed by whiny kids at the next table, or a cozy evening ruined by cramped cabins with minimal amenities.

To pick the best cruise for couples, we focused on features that matter most when you’re traveling together, like private balcony cabins, great bathrooms, and extra-special touches. But we also dug deeper, seeking out the cruises for couples with truly romantic restaurants and the coziest nooks and date-night venues, as well as the top cruises for couples on a budget and those craving adventure.

Read on for our picks of the most romantic cruises for every kind of couple, and what to do on each of these romantic sailings.

To read more, go here. 

NCL Set To Enhance Great Stirrup Cay

Above, Great Stirrup Cay last summer. Photo by Armand Vaquer.

Norwegian Cruise Line is planning some extensive enhancements to their privately-owned Great Stirrup Cay.

The Bahamas cruise I took last summer made a stop there and we had to be tendered in. That is one of things to change when a new multi-ship pier is built.

Above, yours truly on board a tender boat at Great Stirrup Cay. Photo by Mitch Geriminsky.

According to Cruise Critic:

(April 13, 2025) -- Great changes are coming to Great Stirrup Cay.

Norwegian Cruise Line unveiled plans to reimagine its 268-acre private island destination in the Bahamas, with new experiences debuting by the end of this year.

Among the list of upgrades, the cruise line will launch an expansive pool area with a dedicated bar, a new welcome center, a new tram service, and a kids splash zone with water fountains and other age-appropriate features. The arrival of these new amenities will coincide with the completion of a multi-ship pier at Great Stirrup Cay, eliminating the need to tender to shore.

To read more, go here. 

10 Ships That Changed Cruising Forever

Above, the Norwegian Sky, that the Cruise Critic article gives a mention. Photo by Armand Vaquer.

Taking cruises are gaining in popularity these past several years. It was a growing industry before the pandemic hit in 2020. Now that the pandemic is (more or less) over, people are increasingly taking cruises again.

Cruise Critic has posted an article on 10 cruise ships that forever changed cruising. Interestingly, it mentions the Norwegian Sky, the ship Mitch Geriminsky and I took a cruise to the Bahamas on last summer. 

They begin the article with:

When looking back at the fascinating history of the cruise industry, there have been several seminal ships to set sail over the decades. Subjective top 10 lists are sure to vary, but in our book, these are 10 vessels that changed cruising forever.

Do they also float your boat? Have you sailed on any of them? Join the conversation in Cruise Critic’s Community boards.

To read the article, go here. 

Cruise Ships Now "Ghost Ships"

Above, Majesty of the Seas docked at Key West in 2019. Photo by Armand Vaquer.

In April 2019, we took a cruise to Key West and Havana, Cuba aboard Royal Caribbean's Majesty of the Seas. A year later, the ship was sold to Seajets and, due to the pandemic, sat in limbo in Greece unused.

Above, yours truly aboard Majesty of the Seas in 2019. Photo by Mitch Geriminsky.

Two of her sister ships while with Royal Caribbean were scrapped. But, four years later, Majesty of the Seas sits unused. It is now being considered a "ghost ship" along with several others.

What is a ghost ship?

According to Cruise Critic:

They’re not scrapped, but they are not in operation either: they are the ghost ships of the cruise industry, sold during the pandemic and laid up ever since.

How does it happen that ships end up in limbo? Most of these cruise ships here were bought by other operators or holding companies and laid up – nautical speak for when a ship is kept at anchorage or dock somewhere in the world. Technically, they’re kept at the ready to sail again – but the reality is that the longer these vessels are out of service, the more expensive it will be to bring them back into service again. While a skeleton crew of engineers and officers remains onboard, items like swimming pools, toilets, sinks, and galleys quickly fall into disrepair if not kept in constant use.

These cruise ships face an uncertain future: they could be eventually sold for scrap on the cheap, or to a willing buyer with the time – and money – to bring them back to life after almost half a decade of disuse.

These are the ghost ships of the cruise industry we’re keeping tabs on.

They list five cruise liners as ghost ships with the Majesty of the Seas being one of them.

To read more, go here. 

Can Americans Travel To Cuba On A Cruise?

Above, yours truly at Havana Port aboard the Majesty of the Seas in April 2019.

In April 2019, Mitch Geriminsky and I took a cruise to Havana, Cuba aboard Royal Caribbean's Majesty of the Seas. This was before travel restrictions were re-imposed on June 5, 2019 by President Donald Trump.

During the 2020 campaign, Joe Biden said he would reverse the Trump restrictions. So far, Biden has done really nothing. 

People wondering about travel to Cuba, especially cruises, can go to Cruise Critic for an article that answers their questions.

They begin with:

One of the biggest questions raised frequently in the US travel industry is this: Can Americans travel to Cuba? That's because the past decade saw the more-than-sixty-year travel embargo to Cuba eased just long enough for some lucky Americans to have enjoyed cruises to Cuba, both on specialty cruise lines and even on mainstream lines.

However, the short window of opportunity closed on June 5, 2019, when U.S. policy changes again blocked tourist travel to Cuba.

Travel to Cuba from, or transiting through the United States by any person considered to be under U.S. jurisdiction (which includes U.S. citizens located anywhere, as well as anyone located in the U.S., regardless of citizenship) must abide by the regulations of the Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC), under the Department of Treasury.

As of June of 2022, those regulations allow twelve types of general travel authorizations, but retain the restriction on travel strictly for tourist activities.

Here are some things Americans should know about the status of sailing to this long off-limits country.

To read more, go here.

Majesty of the Seas Sold By Royal Caribbean

Above, the Majesty of the Seas at Key West, Florida. Photo by Armand Vaquer.

While working on the blog post on cruise line vaccination requirements, I found that the Majesty of the Seas, the Royal Caribbean cruise ship we took to Havana, Cuba two years ago, had been sold.

Cruise Critic reported last December:

(12:15 p.m. EST) -- After months of speculation, Royal Caribbean has confirmed its two smallest vessels, Empress of the Seas and Majesty of the Seas, will leave the Royal Caribbean fleet this month.  

The 1990-built Empress of the Seas and the 1992-built Majesty of the Seas were the oldest vessels in the Royal Caribbean fleet, but ones that nonetheless had a loyal following of cruisers who prized them for their classic design, smaller size and affordable itineraries.

Royal Caribbean says the two vessels have been sold to an undisclosed party in Asia-Pacific for future cruise service and have not been slated for scrapping at this time. Currently, Empress of the Seas is en-route to Valetta, Malta, while Majesty of the Seas is at anchor off the Greek island of Crete. 

Above, the Majesty of the Seas at Havana Port. Photo by Armand Vaquer.

A few days ago, Royal Caribbean Blog disclosed who bought the Majesty of the Seas: 

Remember when Royal Caribbean announced it sold Majesty of the Seas in December 2020? We may know the owner now.

Royal Caribbean did not disclose the buyer at the time of the sale in December, but through maritime records it now appears we know the owner.

The listing for Majesty is now operator/manager of 'Eaglepower Shipping Ltd' aka SeaJets.

Seajets is a Greek/Cypriot ferry company that bought a lot of ships from British cruise line Cruise & Maritime Voyages (CMV).  SeaJets plans on sailing them in inter Greek trips or turning them around and selling to a third party.

Avoid Getting Sick On A Cruise

Above, the Celebrity Mercury in Juneau, Alaska. Photo by Armand Vaquer.

To date, I've been on two cruises and both times I've gotten some sort of bug.

The first time was in 2000 when we took a cruise to Alaska. I caught a flu bug during the cruise. It could have come from the flight from L.A. to Vancouver, Canada (where we embarked). It subsided after a couple of days.

The second time was during my recent cruise to Cuba. About the third day, I got congestion and a cough to go along with it. It ended about a week after the cruise ended. This one was more of a head cold. Again, I could have caught it during the flight to Fort Lauderdale, Florida where we embarked.

Above, the Majesty of the Seas in Havana, Cuba. Photo by Armand Vaquer.

Getting sick while on a cruise is more common than one may think. It is not surprising since over 2,000 people are crammed into the confines of a ship and passing germs to each other. I got the cold even though I was taking Vitamin C before and during the cruise.

How does one avoid getting sick on a cruise?

Cruise Critic has some tips.

They begin with:

Most cruise travelers sail happily and healthily, but anytime you step out of your daily routine, you let your physical guard down and become susceptible to all sorts of illnesses. From tummy troubles to head colds, seasickness to sunburn and hangovers to jet lag, cruise ship passengers can easily succumb to a number of ailments. 

Have we made you nervous? Don't be. It's relatively easy to stay healthy and not get sick on a cruise ship if you take a few simple precautions. All you really need is a mental checklist and a few minutes a day. 

While we can't guarantee you won't get sick -- for all you know, your germy coworkers may have already infected you before you embark on your trip -- here are our top 10 tips for staying healthy and minimizing your chances of getting sick on your next cruise.

 To read more, go here.