What is this?

  • We began this website/blog in July 2025, to share our experiences and insights, gained over a period of years, on different cruise lines and ships.

  • Every cruise offers a new opportunity - to learn and compare.

  • We will share our personal experiences, tips and recommendations - both positive and negative - with the goal of helping you become… “Informed Cruisers.”

 

Who We Are

  • Greg McDowell and May Aston, happily married over 22 years

  • Cruising to see the world, experience new cultures and enjoy the ship lifestyle, since 2010

    • Lifetime:  By year-end 2025, 48 cruises on 5 cruise lines, over 350 nights

    • 2025:  20 cruises totaling over 100 nights

    • 2026:  8 cruises booked for 49 nights

  • Norwegian (NCL) early on; Royal Caribbean (RC) focus last few years, enjoying benefits of loyalty status

  • Celebrity, Princess and Holland America in recent years

  • Many Caribbean voyages, 3-9 days each

  • Several 10-15 day TransAtlantic voyages, east (3x) and west (4x); Eastbound in 2026

  • We’ve cruised Australia, Asia, Alaska and Canada

  • Hoping to cruise monthly, with extended non-jet lag adventures to (or from) Europe, far into the future

Cruise partners looking happily at each other

Select Cruise Ship Reviews - Links

 

November Sailings:

11/3 and 11/16

September 2025 - Anthem of the Seas

Alaska Voyage from Seattle:  This was our second cruise on the Anthem, having completed a Transpacific sailing in May 2025.  .

 

Anthem of the Seas promotional photo

August 2025 - Star of the Seas

See Ship Review for a quick summary of this 3 day Shakedown.