“If I can do it, you can do it.”  That’s been my motto since I began traveling as a career and passion 15 years ago.  I’ve experienced all kinds of travel from Luxury 5 star resorts to hiking to remote villages in Vietnam to spending the night on a frozen lake with no tent just a sleeping bag.

I like luxury travel. Who wouldn’t?  What I don’t like is that most travelers can’t afford it.  But there are travel companies that make luxury accessible and that’s what brought me to Carnival Cruise Lines

Luxury is not just champagne service and 5 to 800 count sheets.  For me luxury is time.  Being able to spend time with your children, grandchildren, best friends since high school-you name it.  That’s why I love a cruise.  It gets many over-scheduled and under-rested people together and allows them to simply focus on being in the moment with the ones they love (and possibly finishing that novel that’s been sitting on your bedside table for 6 months).  You don’t have to worry about where you are going to eat for breakfast, lunch and dinner or how you are going to get from point A to B..

Over the holidays, 30 members of my family and I were lucky enough to have a family reunion on Royal Caribbean’s Liberty of the Seas for 5 days from Ft. Lauderdale to Cozumel, Mexico and back. We had a fabulous time. Here are 12 reasons why family reunion cruises rule:

This Thanksgiving, forget the cooking and cleaning and instead focus on spending quality time with your loved ones onboard one of the five best holiday cruises for families. With sailings throughout the holiday week, these cruises keep all the traditions intact, while adding fun and inventive ways to celebrate the feast. From pumpkin-pie cocktails to post-dinner NFL games shows on jumbo screens, the comforts of home have never been more buoyant.

I had never been on a cruise ship before and had never expected to go on one either, until Royal Caribbean gave myself and a handful of other bloggers the chance to experience a day on their current largest ship, Oasis of the Seas, when it came to...

Aboard the Disney Wonder -- It was another makeover for the record books.

As can be seen in the photo tour above, the six-week overhaul this fall of the 1,754-passenger Disney Wonder, one of Disney Cruise Line's two original ships, brought major changes to wide swaths of the vessel including eateries, lounges and cabins. The grand Lobby Atrium, a signature feature, was completely reworked. The Mickey-shaped kiddie pool, an icon of the ship since its debut in 1999, was replaced by a new watery fun zone.

USA TODAY got a peek at the revamped vessel in recent days as it resumed sailings out of Galveston, Texas, and here we highlight five things we love about it.

Frozen, a Musical SpectacularTiana’s Place RestaurantAquaLabCrown & Fin PubMarvel Super Hero Academy

Switzerland-based cruise line MSC Cruises has just floated out its next megaship, MSC Seaside — one of two new groundbreaking vessels it's debuting between June and December 2017 (the other is MSC Meraviglia in June) — in a gala ceremony that took place Thanksgiving weekend at Fincantieri’s shipyard in Monfalcone, Italy, where the ship is being built. (See Cruiseable's preview of MSC Seaside.)

The float-out is an important milestone in the construction of a cruise ship as it is the moment where the ship first floats on water when the dry dock is flooded and the ship is moved to a wet dock for the final phase of her construction. The exterior of the ship is complete and work moves to complete interiors, fixtures and fittings.

Princess Cruises is bringing back Summer Caribbean voyages, including Panama Canal transits, in 2018. The line hasn’t sailed during that season in four years. The Santa Clarita, California-based cruise line is will offer seven-day Eastern and Western itineraries and 20-day Caribbean/Panama Canal voyage on the 3,192-guest Caribbean Princess. All Summer Caribbean cruises are open for sale Dec. 1.

The 2018 season runs from April to October and features 47 departures, roundtrip from Ft. Lauderdale, including eight unique itineraries visiting 23 destinations in 22 countries. In addition, four ports offer late night stays so guests have more time to explore the evening offerings these destinations have to offer. New for 2018, 20-day Caribbean and Panama Explorer voyages combine a 10-day Panama cruise and a 10-day Southern Caribbean Medley or Eastern Caribbean Voyager cruise. Princess Cruises takes more guests through this engineering marvel than any other cruise line.

“Summertime is the prime vacation season for most Americans and we’re happy to offer the Caribbean in 2018,” said Jan Swartz, Princess Cruises president. “We have award-winning itineraries of various lengths so families, honeymooners, couples, friends and travelers alike can get away to explore new places, reconnect with one another and ultimately ‘come back new’ with Princess.”

Courtesy of Princess CruisesCoral Princess sails through the Panama Canal. Princess offers more cruises through the canal than any other cruise line.

2018 Caribbean & regional cruise highlights

2018 Caribbean cruise highlights include:

Eastern Caribbean (7 days) – an adventurous week with calls at the ports of Princess Cays, St. Thomas, Grand Turk or Amber Cove with a multitude of water activities to choose from. Sailings depart May 26; June 9, 23; July 7, 21; August 4,18; and September 1, 2018. 

Western Caribbean (7 days) – Alternating with the Eastern Caribbean voyages, this itinerary features calls at Grand Cayman, Cozumel, Roatan and Belize highlighting the Mayan culture and history of the region. Caribbean Princess sets sail on this route on May 19; June 2, 16, 30; July 14, 28; and August 11, 25, 2018.

Passengers can combine the popular seven-day Eastern and Western Caribbean voyages, for a 14-day Caribbean East/West Adventure. (Which I highly recommend as you barely get your sea legs in a week). Southern Caribbean (8 days). For a more in-depth experience, one Southern Caribbean cruise will be offered with stops in Curacao, Aruba, Bonaire; departs May 11, 2018.

Eastern Caribbean Voyager (10 days) – just the right amount of time to relax and get oriented, tjhis one visits Princess Cays, St. Thomas, Antigua, St. Lucia, Barbados, St.Kitts. Cruises depart May1 and September 28. Southern Caribbean Medley (10 days) – dive deep into beautiful beaches of the Southern Caribbean, including Princess Cays, St. Thomas, Dominica, Grenada, Bonaire and Curacao. Departures on April 11; September 8 and October 18, 2018.

Panama Canal with Costa Rica (10 days) – I’ve made this trip more than a dozen times and it never gets old, it’s a must-do as you transit the new Agua Clara Locks with a Panama Canal partial transit, including a day of scenic cruising through Gatun Lake, guests will also visit Grand Cayman, Cartagena, Colon, Costa Rica (Límon) and Falmouth (Jamaica). Sailings depart April 1, 21; Sept. 18; and Oct. 8. Guests can combine the cruise line’s signature 10-day Panama Canal voyage with the 10-day Southern Caribbean Medley or Eastern Caribbean Voyager for the ultimate 20-day cruise vacation, 2018. 

Captain’s Circle Savings

Captain’s Circle members booking a seven- to 10-day cruise, will receive a savings of $50 per person and those booking a 14- or 20-day cruise will save $100 per guest (does apply to third and fourth berth guests).

Ricardo Espinosa / Courtesy of Mexico Tourism BoardYou can see the Mayan ruins of Tulum, Mexico, on a new Princess cruise itinerary.

More Ashore and Top-Ranked Shore Excursions

Offering guests more time to explore local cultures and culinary offerings, select itineraries in the Caribbean offer extended stays in Aruba, Curacao, Cozumel and St. Maarten with departures of 9 pm or later.

Through the cruise line’s exclusive partnership with Discovery and Animal Planet, guests can choose from immersive excursions for the whole family, including:

• America’s Cup Yacht Race (St. Maarten) – Discovery Recommended
• Antilla Shipwreck Snorkel (Aruba) – Discovery Recommended
• Mayan Ruins at Tulum (Cozumel) – Discovery Recommended
• Sloth Sanctuary in Costa Rica (Límon) – Animal Planet Exclusive

Locally Inspired Onboard Events

While guests sail aboard Caribbean Princess they will continue to enjoy the destinations they visit with the following offerings:

• Locally inspired cuisine, such as Caribbean island-spiced chicken
• Festivals of the World – live entertainment celebrating Mardi Gras and Festival de Panama (Panama Canal cruises)
• Steel Drum Lessons, Local Crafts, Talk Like a Pirate Day, Rum Tastings
• · Live narratives while sailing through the Gatun Locks (Panama Canal)
• Discovery Encounters – local guest speakers sharing authentic stories and passion for their homelands

New Club Class Mini-Suites

Recently added premium staterooms come with VIP amenities and exclusive dining with the new Club Class Mini-Suite. The elevated mini-suite category provides perks such as a reserved dining area with expedited seating and expanded menu options; priority embarkation and disembarkation; complimentary wine and luxurious bathrobes.

While the debut of Silversea's Silver Muse in March 2017 is garnering all the attention, the luxury cruise line is also busy with the transition of Silver Cloud from a globe-trotting luxury ship into an ice-class expedition ship. Her inaugural voyage is one year away. 

Super-luxe, all-inclusicve Silversea Cruises, one of the world’s leading luxury cruise lines, is celebrating one year to go until the inaugural voyage of the Silver Cloud as an ice-class expedition ship by releasing detailed renderings of the ship’s refurbishment. The ship, which was long one of the company's original small luxury vessels, is being been totally refurbished for a November 2017 launch, which will be an industry defining moment as Silversea will once again redefine luxury and comfort in expedition cruising.

The inaugural voyage will be to Antarctica and will provide the highest space-to-guest and crew-to-guest ratios in expedition cruising. The ship's guest capacity of 260 in non-polar regions and just 200 in polar regions means that guests will enjoy the highest levels of personalized and attentive service on board.

Courtesy of SilverseaA Veranda Suite on Silver Cloud after it transitions into an expedition ship.

Silver Cloud’s transition to the expedition fleet will bring expedition guests the luxury, style and comfort synonymous with Silversea’s classic fleet. The renderings (see right) clearly showcase the luxurious, all-ocean view suites that will be elegantly decorated with new furnishings and upholstery in a refined color palette. Silver Cloud will have the largest suites in expedition cruising, and over 80 percent of the suites have a private veranda.

You can find details  at the newly posted Silver Cloud 2018 digital brochure, which highlights the ship’s itineraries following her transition into the expedition fleet. During this time period, she will travel more than 70,500 nautical miles, visit almost 190 destinations, with over 380 ports of call, and make more than 30 maiden visits. She will embark on 11 Antarctic and eight Arctic voyages; sail under London’s Tower Bridge; discover the history and culture of the British Isles; explore the Norwegian Fjords; transit the Panama Canal; provide culinary discoveries in Europe and South America and spend Christmas in the Falkland Islands.

The ship will feature 18 new Zodiacs, enabling shipwide simultaneous explorations in groups of no more than 14 people. Silver Cloud will also have a team of up to 19 dedicated experts on hand to ensure guests leave with the best experiences from their voyages, whether they be the sights, the sounds, the history or the stories. Daily presentations and lectures by experts in the state-of-the-art theater will also be streamed live to all suites.

To watch a video that showcases the ship. click here.  For more information on Silver Cloud and her 2018 itineraries visit here.

Silversea is well known for its seamless onboard service with butlers in all staterooms, fine food and tasteful experiences.  Fares include gratuities, all beverages from Champagne to spirits and beyond, and guests find a chic but casual and welcoming ambience.

As always, contact the Cruiseable Business Department at 1-877-322-3773 if you're interested in a cruise on Silver Cloud.

Whether you go to buy gifts, replenish your Yuletide larder or simply to soak up the atmosphere, Europe’s Christmas markets weave a captivating spell.

While snowfall cannot be guaranteed, it is more likely. At the very least you can expect a Christmas-card setting with traditional handmade decorations, along with daytime and evening markets packed with festive flavors and, if you’re lucky, local choirs providing the requisite soundtrack.

It is possible to cruise by river or sea to enjoy Europe’s markets. The advantage with river cruising is the opportunity to visit not just one but several Christmas markets and, as you sail, to see towns and villages decorated for the festive season. The biggest concentration of Christmas markets lies along the banks of the Rhine and the Danube; there are also some on the Main and the Seine – many in Paris itself.

There are still some cruises to choose from, but you’ll have to be quick.

Our fascination with nature’s grand illuminations never wavers. An Arctic Circle cruise not only brings the Northern Lights within reach, but also offers a holiday that’s enjoyable in so many other ways, not least through participation in some truly out-of-the-ordinary excursions and activities.

The phenomenon

The Northern Lights can be seen from anywhere in the far northern hemisphere. Only last week, displays were visible in Scotland and northern England. Although present year-round, they can only really be seen when the sky is dark at night – from mid-September to early April.

Much has been said about the intensity and regularity of the Lights – or the aurora borealis. The phenomenon is caused by particles on the solar wind interacting with those in the Earth’s atmosphere, but the extent of the display depends on activity on the surface of the Sun, measured over an 11-year cycle. Solar activity has been at its maximum over the past two winters, resulting in some spectacular displays.

 So is it still worth going? Although the Sun’s cycle may have peaked, its descent into a quieter phase is long and gradual and there’s no reason why dynamic displays should not be seen for at least a couple of years to come. Sightings are not unknown even at times of a solar minimum; conversely, when there is a lot of cloud cover, say, you may not see the aurora during a solar max.

Come November 10, 2016, Disney Cruise Line will reintroduce the Disney Wonder to the fleet with new improvements, and we’ll be onboard to share them all with you. Until then, let’s take a look at what work has been done to the ship before her next grand unveiling.Gene Sloan at USA Today got a sneak peek at the ship being remodeled during its extensive September 9 to October 23 dry-dock in Cadiz, Spain, showing a little of what went on to soon bring new venues to life. Most significantly, the kids facilities, one of the three main dining rooms and adults-only spaces were retooled.“Frozen” will be integrated into Disney’s Oceaneer Club for ages 3 to 12 and open to all ages during select open house hours to check out. The new Frozen Adventures space we now know will feature Wandering Oaken’s, the trading post from the amusing character known for his signature “woo hoo” call.

Just weeks after speculating that a zip-line roller coaster type of attraction might at some point make its way aboard a cruise ship, Walltopia, a climbing wall manufacturer, has actually modeled what its Rollglider product, called a “safe proximity flight,” would look like onboard.The company has even produced a fully rendered video, embedded below, showcasing what its zip-line roller coaster hybrid product might look like installed on one of Royal Caribbean International’s Sovereign-class vessels like the Majesty of the Seas. While it doesn’t actually show it running, it does give you a sense for how such an attraction would scale and potentially traverse high above and out beyond the upper decks of a relatively small ship.In reality, the Rollglider would probably be better suited to a larger cruise ship like Royal Caribbean’s own Harmony of the Seas, the biggest one in the world currently, where it could really sprawl a much longer distance. The pairing of the video-rendered attraction with a ropes course even suggests it could be well suited to Carnival Cruise Line or Norwegian Cruise Line which already have such structures perched on their decks.