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Cruise port guides, travel tips, and more
Ship Excursion vs. DIY: Cozumel
The ship charges $80 for a snorkel trip you can book yourself for $35. Here's the category-by-category breakdown of when to buy the ship's excursion and when to walk off the gangway and do it yourself.
Cruise Line Private Islands: What's Actually Worth a Day in 2026
Royal Caribbean just suspended Labadee through 2026. Here's the honest ranking of the three private islands still operating — CocoCay, Castaway Cay, and Half Moon Cay — and which one is actually worth showing up for.
St. Maarten: Where the Planes Fly Low and the Rum Runs Deep
One island, two countries, and a beach where 747s skim your head at 50 feet. Here's exactly how I'd spend a day in port — and what I'd skip.
St. Thomas: The Beach, the View, and the Bushwacker
You don't need a passport, you don't need euros, and you don't need a ship excursion. Here's how I'd spend a perfect day in St. Thomas — Magens Bay included.
San Juan: The Caribbean Port That Doesn't Need an Excursion
Your ship docks inside a 500-year-old walled city and you can walk to a Spanish fortress, eat the best mofongo of your life, and be back aboard with time to spare. Here's exactly how.
Dubrovnik: The Walled City That Earns Every Step
A medieval fortress on the Adriatic where the walls are the main event, the seafood is stupid fresh, and half the passengers will waste their day on the wrong things. Here's how not to be one of them.
Ocho Rios: Jamaica Beyond the Waterfall
Every cruise ship in Jamaica funnels passengers toward Dunn's River Falls. Here's how to do Ocho Rios right — including which waterfall I'd actually pick, and what to skip entirely.
Grand Cayman: The One Port Where You Actually Want to Stay on the Beach
Seven Mile Beach lives up to its name. Here's how to do Grand Cayman right — from stingray encounters to the best fish sandwich of your life.
Nassau: A Cruise Primer for the Port That Feels Like America
Nassau is close enough to Florida to feel familiar, but strange enough to keep you on your toes. Here's how to make the most of a day in the Bahamian capital — and what to skip.
Cozumel: Your First Time in the Mexican Caribbean
Cozumel is famous for two things: world-class snorkeling and being a cruise line punching bag. Here's how to actually enjoy it — and when to skip what your ship is selling.
Santorini: How to Spend the Best Day of Your Cruise
Your ship anchors in a volcanic caldera and you take a tender to a cliff crowned with white villages. Here's exactly how I'd spend the day — and what I'd skip.