The hardest part about cruising is leaving the ship… not because it’s difficult, but because it’s hard to leave the fun. But since that final disembarkation is inevitable, knowing what to expect should make it a bit easier.

The final night on board, you’ll get a detailed list of all charges made on the ship during your vacation. If you didn’t keep up with that during the cruise, check that everything is accurate. Mistakes are rare, but they do happen. Remember that gratuities for cabin stewards and wait staff will be added to your account as well. If there’s a problem with your account, go to Guest Services as soon as possible. There’s always a long line to dispute charges (rarely a cruise line error, but it is possible) or to make final settlement if using a debit card. Be patient.

Locals will tell you the Cayman Islands offer the best scuba diving in the Caribbean. Given the triumvirate of islands boasts a unique dive site for every single day of the year – and this isn’t just marketing speak – it’s easy to believe them.

Already a go-to destination for stingray spotting and dramatic drop-offs, this British Overseas Territory also offers some superb wreck dives within a pirate’s ahoy from the shore. The Caymans’ vibrant reefs are also something of a success story. With the Caribbean thought to have lost a staggering 80 percent of its coral in recent years, largely due to the effects of global warming, a 2013 study found Cayman coral health had bounced back to levels not seen since 1999.

While every diver has their favourites, we’ve scoped out seven of our own top spots to strap on a tank and dive in.

Travel bible Lonely Planet has revealed its Ultimate Travelist in a new book, ranking the top 500 sights in the world as chosen by their expert travel correspondents – y’know, the people who actually write those books you desperately reach for in each new city you visit. The definitive list offers many of the expected “must visit” spots spliced in with a few hidden gems.

The Temples of Angkor in Cambodia were the “undisputed champion” to take the crown, beating out our own Great Barrier Reef in second place and Peru’s Machu Picchu in third.

Along with our famed reef, Australia took out two other spots in the top 20. The Twelve Apostles on Victoria’s Great Ocean Road took out 12th place and – in perhaps a surprising entry –  Tasmania’s Museum of Old and New Art took out spot number 20. Lonely Planet says that MONA is “sexy, provocative, disturbing and deeply engaging. Don’t miss it!”

For travelers who've been thinking about a holiday on a river cruise ship, come 2016 Avalon Waterways will have seven Christmas cruises, including the 17-day Christmastime Zurich to Budapest cruise on the Avalon Tranquility II (priced from $4,589 and departing Dec. 3, 2016). It will sail not one, not two, but three rivers in Europe: Danube, Main and Rhine. Along the way, passengers will be taking in all the quintessential sights, scents and delights of Central Europe during the holidays. On view are traditional Black Forest houses with their long sloping roofs; Strasbourg’s Christmas market, which dates back to 1570; an ice rink set up at the foot of Heidelberg Castle; Bamberg’s nativity scenes built by local citizens and exhibited throughout the town; and Nuremberg’s Old Town, illuminated with festive lights and decorations.

For those travelers opting for shorter holiday trips, Avalon is offering itineraries that range from five to 13 days in 2016. A fan favorite for the holidays is the 8-day Christmas in the Heart of Germany on the Avalon Tranquility II (priced from $1,773). If Prague decked out for the holidays is on your bucket list, try the 12-day Christmastime Zurich to Prague (priced from $2,898).

For more information

As always, for more information contact your Cruiseable travel advocate. 

I recently had the chance to experience a 5 star European river cruise for the first time and I certainly wasn’t disappointed. Stepping aboard the ‘Space-Ship’ like boat that was docked in Amsterdam, I was about to glide through Amsterdam’s remarkable network of canals, in river cruising luxury – if you want to explore European destinations at a gentle pace, river cruising is certainly one of the best ways to do this. Imagine yourself sipping sparkling champagne, whilst listening to nothing but the calm, gentle sounds of the river lapping against the bows.

River boat cruising is becoming more and more popular. The cruise lines such as Viking Cruise Line have been upping their game to appeal to a greater audience.  What a perfect way to explore a region or country where you only have to unpack once.  The ships are smaller and more intimate with personalized service and the food is what you would expect of a Luxury cruise line.. 

Disney Cruse Line is altering its alcohol policy, adding restrictions to what passengers may bring onboard to consume during their voyages.

Starting with cruises that leave Sept. 30, Disney Cruise Line guests will be allowed to bring a maximum of two bottles of unopened wine or champagne — no larger than 750 milliliters — or six beers — no larger than 12 ounces — on board at the beginning of the trip and at each port-of-call.

These beverages must be packed in carry-on bags or luggage. They cannot be in checked-in luggage.

Bringing liquors and spirits onboard will be prohibited.

Royal Caribbean Cruise line is stepping up their luxury game with a brand new set of offerings for guests looking for that extra special touch on their cruise vacation. When vacationing in one of a range of innovative accommodations, guests will enjoy an experience like no other featuring a wide-range of benefits and amenities that they expect from a world-class luxury vacation.  

Along with well-appointed accommodations, Royal Suite Class will offer a range of exclusive amenities based on three tiered service levels. Premium features include a Royal Genie, certified by the British Butler Institute to meet guests every need; free VOOM, the fastest internet at sea; complimentary specialty dining; an ultimate beverage package; inclusive gratuities; preferred seating at select onboard venues, and upgraded room amenities.

The Royal Suite Class will be available for sailings beginning May 2016 aboard Royal Caribbean’s Oasis- and Quantum-class ships, Anthem of the Seas, Quantum of the Seas, Allure of the Seas, and Oasis of the Seas, as well as Harmony of the Seas and Ovation of the Seas when they debut in spring 2016

After our latest fun and relaxing cruise with our kids, I've come to the realization that I wouldn't mind cruising with them at least once a year. This is our third cruise as a family, my 10th in general, and, I have to say, each year cruising together gets easier. I think it's partially because the kids are getting older and I'm getting wiser. My secret to planning a fun cruise with my boys is to board the ship with a few loose goals that we've discussed as a family before we set sail.

My wife and I have taken our 2 children on many of our cruises over the years.  I agree with the author of this article that it is one of the best vacations that can be done together with a little pre planning. Here are some of the tips we used when cruising with our children.

• Luggage - each person had their own suitcase.  As we mainly drove to the cruise port this was not an issue and kept the suitcases smaller and would fit under the beds while on board.  Each of my children also were allowed to have their own carry on bag to bring what they wanted to keep themselves amused although my wife had final say on what they could bring.
• Onboard entertainment - realize that what you may think to be fun to do or watch may not be the same for your children. Plan accordingly.  My children loved to play mini golf and also participate in some of the trivia contests.
• Excursions - while it is great if you can find excursions that everyone wants to do, sometimes it is not possible.  My son and I like to snorkel and my wife and daughter do not.  We have on occasion split up and did different excursions while at a port of call. My daughter loved helping pre cruise to look at the excursion options for where we were going and was usually a topic of discussion at dinner. My daughter has found some very nice excursions for us like a zoo on Aruba.

William Shatner will soon be taking fans where they've never gone before, to sea, hosting the first ever officially licensed Star Trek cruise.

Star Trek: The Cruise will embark January 9, 2017, on the Norwegian Pearl from Miami. The six-day cruise is part of the 50th anniversary celebration for the Star Trek franchise, which first hit the airwaves in 1966.

Shatner, who played Captain James T. Kirk, says on the cruise website that he's excited about the enterprise.

Theme cruises are very popular and I suspect that this cruise will be a big hit. Additional stars from other Star Trek series (The Next Generation, Voyager and Deep Space Nine) will also be on hand for the cruise.

The Norwegian Pearl will leave out of Miami and visit  Cozumel, Nassau and Norwegian Cruise Line's private island, Great Stirrup Cay

Good news for foodies planning to sail on Princess Cruises. The Santa Clarita, California-based operator of megaships has announced an upgrade to its culinary output with the addition of celebrity chef Curtis Stone, who is also an author, TV personality and restaurateur. Stone will definitely bring an upgrade to the fleet’s food. Not that Princess’s kitchens don’t already dish out some tasty cuisine, but it can always improve.

Passengers will be treated to chef Stone’s culinary wizardly with a trio of offerings on all Princess vessels. One will be a special menu called Crafted by Curtis Stone served in all the main dining rooms. Another will be in his new Curtis Stone specialty restaurant and a third at a newly added Curtis Stone's Chef's Table.

World famous for his cuisine, Stone began early, plying his craft at the age of 18 in his homeland of Australia and later honing his skills at Michelin-starred restaurants in London. 

The partnership with Chef Stone goes hand and fork with Princess Cruises' “come back new” promotion, which the company hopes will drive the idea home to future passengers.

Of all of Europe’s cruise regions, the Western Mediterranean offers the most of the most: arts and culture, surf and sand, cafe hopping and boutique shopping. It encompasses the absolute best variety of sights, attractions and activities.

Itineraries that sail the Western Mediterranean typically emphasize ports of call in Spain, France and Italy with a few interesting detours along the way. These could also include stops in Portugal (primarily Lisbon, though Porto is occasionally featured), Canary Islands, Morocco (Casablanca and Tangier), Tunis (La Goulette), Monte Carlo and Gibraltar. Within these choices, however, actual ports of call vary wildly and can include everything from France’s oh-so-chic Villefranche to Italy’s open-air museum of Florence.

Because the euro’s value can fluctuate wildly against the U.S. dollar, it can be much cheaper to cruise to Europe than plan a land-based trip. For value-conscious U.S. travelers, a cruise helps to soften the blow of big-ticket items like hotels and restaurants.

Taking your first cruise can be both exciting and stressful. You’ve probably been booked for months and as it inches closer and closer your getting more and more excited but at the same time your not sure what to expect. So, here’s a few tips that may come in helpful for you if this is your first time cruising!

Your first time going on a cruise need not be stressful.  In this article 7 tips are presented.  Here is my take on each.

1. Documentation - Make sure you have all your documentation in order well in advance.  Although on some cruises you can use an original birth certificate, I suggest that a passport is still the way to go.  If you are getting a passport, remember to leave enough time from when you apply.  It can take 6+ weeks to receive.
2. Online check in - The check in process at the cruise terminal can be stressful.  There are many people doing the same thing as you are.  Anything you can do to speed the process such as online check in makes it go all that much faster.
3. Arrival at the cruise terminal - Living in Florida, I have 4 cruise terminals within driving distance.  I like to arrive early.  I would rather be sitting at the terminal, knowing I will be soon to be on the ship, than still be driving wondering if I will make it on time.  If you are flying to the terminal, it may be a wise option to arrive a day early and spend the night in a hotel.
4. Shore excursions - Depending upon where you are going, you may want to pre book your shore excursions. When we cruise in the Caribbean, we do not pre book, but when we went to Alaska,  we heeded the warning and pre booked all our shore excursions.  Not all were sold out but a few were even before the ship left port.
5. Cell phones - Only use your cell phone in an emergency.  it is very expensive and you will not see the damage until you are back from your cruise. If you really need to be connected while away, you may want to investigate the Wi-Fi packages that the cruise lines offer (not cheap either).
6. Your Bank - Yes it is a good idea to let your credit card company know you will be using their card when out of the country.
7. Soda and Alcohol - Check with the cruise line you are going on so you understand what you can and cannot bring onboard with you. You may also want to check if one of the beverage packages sold by the cruise line may be cost effective for you.

Here is a additional tip from me for when you are on your cruise so you can remain stress free.

If you are worried about your spend rate while onboard your cruise,, you can check you shipboard account anytime you would like.  Some ships make it easy as pulling up your account on the in room TV and others have kiosk where you can print a current statement.  If neither of these options are available, the pursers desk can print you a copy of your current shipboard statement.