All Episodes
Episodes
Don’t Board Carnival Until You Know This
Is Carnival really a bad cruise line, or do some cruisers board with the wrong plan? Professor Melissa shares the biggest Carnival cruise mistakes that can lead to stress, wasted money, and wrong expectations.
From...
View Episode
Royal Caribbean’s Newest Cruise Ship Just Hit Sea Trials
What should cruisers know before booking a brand-new ship, planning an Alaska sailing, or heading into the water at a cruise port? Professor Melissa breaks down several major cruise updates, including Royal...
View Episode
Don’t Make These Cozumel Cruise Mistakes
What if the biggest thing ruining your Cozumel port day is not the port itself, but the choices you make once you get off the ship? Cozumel can be one of the best cruise stops in the Caribbean, but only if you know...
View Episode
Hidden Cruise Fee Increases You Need to Know
Are cruise lines quietly making your next vacation more expensive while keeping the advertised fare looking low? This week, Melissa breaks down a wave of cruise fee increases across MSC, Holland America, Carnival, and...
View Episode
The MSC Seascape Honest Review
Could a cruise line you once swore off actually win you back? After one of the worst cruises of her life on MSC Magnifica, Melissa came home from MSC Seascape with a very different answer and it is not a simple yes or...
View Episode
Cruise Cabins That Are NOT Worth the Upgrade
What looks like a cruise cabin upgrade can sometimes be one of the worst deals on the ship. In this episode, Melissa breaks down which cabin upgrades are actually worth skipping, why guarantee cabins can backfire, and...
View Episode
Blood Donors at Sea, New Cruise Fees, and Royal Caribbean’s Giant New Ship
What happens when a cruise ship is too far from land, and someone urgently needs blood to survive? Let's take a look at the real limits of cruise ship safety after passengers on Oasis of the Seas were awakened at 4...
View Episode
The Truth About Cruise Ship Loyalty Programs
The biggest takeaway is this: cruise loyalty can cost you more when it pushes you to book a familiar brand instead of the best cruise for your money. Professor Melissa shows that perks often take years to reach, can...
View Episode
Can Cruise Lines Add Fuel Fees After Final Payment?
Could your cruise fare still go up after final payment? Professor Melissa explains why fuel surcharge clauses matter when oil prices rise, how Carnival, Norwegian, and Royal Caribbean handle them, and what that could...
View Episode
Are Short Cruises a Waste of Money?
Is a short cruise really cheaper, or does it just look that way at checkout? Let's compare 3-night and 7-night trips and see why the lower fare can be misleading. When travelers factor in per-night pricing, drink...
View Episode
Cruise Line Cuts, Price Hikes, and an Alaska Itinerary Change
What happens when cruise lines quietly change the rules after you’ve already booked? Let's talk about where cruise policies, loyalty perks, and onboard costs are headed. Norwegian reversed its change to the Great...
View Episode
5 Most Overrated Things About Cruising That Waste Your Money
Are some of the most popular cruise “must-dos” actually costing you more while giving you less? Professor Melissa breaks down five of the most hyped cruise experiences and explains where they fall short, who they...
View Episode
