Next Cruise boards Sunday, 8/2!

We are excited to return to this Icon Class beauty

Quick look at Star this week:  8/2 - 8/9. 

  • Nate from Lakewood, FL, at Captain Jack’s on Coco Cay (great tunes)
  • Gabrielle from Trinidad and Tobago, our helpful cruise sales assistant manager
  • A snippet from the tremendous ice show “SOL” at Absolute Zero (wear a sweater!)

We met Kahn on a water taxi in Phillipsburg, St. Maarten.  He is from India and nearing the end of his 8 month contract doing maintenance and ship protection activities on the Star.  He hoped to purchase gifts to take home soon.

Zakari is from Indonesia.  He cheerfully prepares my daily Power Shake smoothies.  Sometimes the queue is 10 customers long.  I caught him during a lull this Thursday mid-day. 

Recent Cruise:

Utopia of the Seas June 2026 - Cruise #10 on this ship since 2024 - 37 total nights

  • Multiple pages to highlight the many experiences on our favorite ship

Please check out some of our 50+ pages…click on a few blue boxes. 

What’s New?

Site active since July 2025

Updated August 6, 2026

Over 50 pages of information and photos 

Most Recent Additions to the IC website

  • Jewel of  the Seas TransAtlantic - August/September 2024
    • Extensive European Port Reviews
  • Caribbean Princess - 2nd voyage completed in June 2026

What’s Next in 2026?

  • 8/2/26 - RC Star of the Seas (excited for this return visit)
  • 8/22/26 - RC Harmony of the Seas (first time on this ship)
  • 9/10/26 - RC Harmony of the Seas
  • 10/5/26 - RC Radiance of the Seas (first time on this ship)
  • 10/26/26 - RC Utopia of the Seas (just because)
  • 10/31/26 - RC Harmony of the Seas
  • 11/21/26 - RC Harmony of the Seas (Thanksgiving)
  • 12/21/26 - RC Explorer of the Seas (Christmas)

What is this?

  • We began this website 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 share our personal experiences, tips and recommendations - with the goal of helping you become… “Informed Cruisers.”

 

Who We Are

  • Greg McDowell and May Aston, happily married 23 years

  • Cruising to see the world, experience new cultures and enjoy the cruiseship lifestyle - oceans, entertainment, dining, socializing, and ports - since 2010

    • Lifetime:  Through 2025, 47 cruises on 5 cruise lines, over 350 nights 

      • 2025:  18 cruises; for 103 nights

      • 2026:  20 cruises taken or planned for 104 nights (97 on Royal)

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

  • Celebrity, Princess and Holland America in recent years

  • Over 35 Royal Caribbean voyages, 3-10 days each; over 250 nights total on RC

  • Several 10-16 day TransAtlantic voyages, east (3x) and west (4x)

  • We’ve cruised Europe, 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