Professor Melissa

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Professor Melissa Contact information, map and directions, contact form, opening hours, services, ratings, photos, videos and announcements from Professor Melissa, Digital creator, .

I’m a university professor who loves to cruise, and who loves to talk ship…

Next 🚢: Carnival Sunrise 7/31

Visit www.profmelissa.com/links for FREE Port Guides, advice, and my top recommendations.

27/07/2025

Which cruise line has your loyalty?

27/07/2025

If you stumble across someone on social media who's portraying a life of luxury and nonstop 5-star travel and they claim that anyone can do it by becoming a travel agent, they're full of it.

Being a TA is hard work. There's a lot of training that goes into it, and you have to truly care about customer service (and learning) to succeed at it. But, if you're willing to put in the time and build something (knowing it's not an overnight get-rich-quick thing), you can build a solid side hustle or even full-time career.

Or, you can be like me... a frequent traveler who became a travel agent just to book her own trips (and get some other perks).

The whole TA thing is unnecessarily confusing, and sometimes even seems shady when you search about it online, so I put together a page to answer the most commonly asked questions about it, which is linked below. 👇

Cruising out of Galveston soon? Traffic from Houston is no joke. IAH is about 70 miles away, and Hobby’s a bit closer—bu...
27/07/2025

Cruising out of Galveston soon? Traffic from Houston is no joke.

IAH is about 70 miles away, and Hobby’s a bit closer—but still a solid drive. I always recommend flying in the day before and staying in Galveston if you can. Link to the FREE Galveston cruise port guide is in the comments!

Do you prefer to fly in early and stay near the port, or risk it the morning of?

26/07/2025

Do you think cruise "specialty" staterooms are worth the extra cost? In the case of Carnival's Family Harbor rooms, I say YES!

26/07/2025

When I’m cruising to Nassau with my tween daughter, Margaritaville is my go-to spot. 🙌

It’s walkable from the cruise port (no taxi needed!), and the vibe is just fun without being chaotic. She loves the water slides and high jump, and I love the small lazy river and fact that it’s clean, easy, and has a private beachfront area so we’re not dealing with the crowds and chaos of the public beaches.

They even provide towels... so no dragging wet, sandy cruise towels back to the ship. 🙌

It’s not the cheapest day pass in Nassau, but for a family-friendly beach day with activities built in? It’s 100% worth it. And it's a STEAL compared to Atlantis and Baha Mar.

I thought I scored big with a free suite on Carnival Mardi Gras for my birthday cruise earlier this year (hello, casino ...
26/07/2025

I thought I scored big with a free suite on Carnival Mardi Gras for my birthday cruise earlier this year (hello, casino comp!), but it ended up being a bit of a dog of a room.

Worst part about this room? It had a massive obstruction, even though it wasn't listed as an obstructed balcony.

This inspired me to write an article about how to avoid ended up in a bum room and instead pick a great one, especially for folks not on comps and paying full price.

Here’s a quick peek at what I cover:

* My suite horror story (spoiler: obstruction AND privacy was nonexistent)
* Why I recommend splurging for "bucket list" itinerary rooms (like Alaska)
* The truth about GTY cabins (aka cruise roulette)
* What to look for (and avoid) when reading deck plans
* Cruise line quirks that affect cabin choice
* Tips for researching specific room numbers before you book

💡But here’s where I need your help, friends:

What else should I add to this post? Have you ever had a cabin you loved or regretted? Any cruise cabin hacks I should include? What rooms do you seek out and which do you AVOID?

Drop your advice, lessons learned, or horror stories in the comments, because I want to make this guide as useful (and real!) as possible for future cruisers. Thank you! :)

26/07/2025

From surprise drink package changes and ships moving ports, to drug arrests, stomach bugs, and even BED bugs, we break it all down in this week’s cruise update. I share honest thoughts, helpful tips, and talk ship about that new cruise documentary on Netflix making waves.

** Learn about Travel Insurance** https://www.profmelissa.com/travelinsurance

**CHAPTERS**
0:31 What’s changing with Princess Cruises’ drink package?
2:54 Which Carnival ship is leaving Galveston, and why?
4:00 What should you know before visiting Carnival's new Celebration Key?
7:43 Who got arrested in Bermuda, on what cruise line, and what did they bring?
9:33 Why did over 140 people get sick on a cruise?
10:44 Did someone really find bed bugs on Disney Magic?
12:51 Why is Netflix making cruising look bad again?

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PODCAST

Want this video in audio form? Stream my podcast:
Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/7DnkEqe24Ytgsgvq09ewOU?si=Psra8RmDS5-aKvkyl5yNfQ
Apple: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/professor-melissas-cruise-pod/id1776258596

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LINKS

🛳️ Find my ridiculous cruise clothes and favorite cruise essentials here: https://amzlink.to/az0MeCnr7c6Oc
🛳️ Want to learn how to become a travel agent, either to book your own travel or as a side hustle? https://www.profmelissa.com/travelagent
🛳️ Get my top recommended travel card to earn travel points and get better protections when traveling: https://i.capitalone.com/Jpsx6W1yZ
🛳️ Want to book a cruise or take a cruise with me? https://www.profmelissa.com/book
🛳️ Get FREE Port Guides, cruise advice, and more at https://www.profmelissa.com/
🛳️ Get my FREE Cruise Packing List & Planning Guide at https://www.profmelissa.com/subscribe

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CONNECT WITH ME

TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/ProfMelissaCruises/
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/dr_melissa_newman/
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Please note that sometimes, my posts contain affiliate links. This means I may receive a commission through purchases, but this does not affect you as a consumer or cost you more in any way. I appreciate your use of my links, as this helps support my channel. ♥️

Grand Cayman is absolutely gorgeous—but fair warning, it's a tender port and a short call. On our last visit, we didn't ...
26/07/2025

Grand Cayman is absolutely gorgeous—but fair warning, it's a tender port and a short call.

On our last visit, we didn't even get ashore until 10:15 am!

⏰ For once, I actually recommend booking a cruise line excursion here to avoid stress and maximize your time.
The link to the FREE Grand Cayman port guide is in the comments!

Have you ever had a port day cut short by tendering or tight timing?

25/07/2025

Packing for a cruise can require some thought and strategy, but the big question is... WHAT do you pack it all in? Here's my go-to and why I love it so freaking much.

📋 Want my FREE Cruise Packing List & Planning Guide? Comment "GUIDE," below and I'll DM it to you. :)

25/07/2025

Drink packages on a cruise... worth it, or no?

Okay, okay, I know Carnival has been testing us lately, but still… this is a FREEEEEBIE FRIDAY I think you’re going to l...
25/07/2025

Okay, okay, I know Carnival has been testing us lately, but still… this is a FREEEEEBIE FRIDAY I think you’re going to love.

**** It’s a $100 Carnival gift card!!! 🚢 ****

Want to win? Here’s how to enter (legal jargon in comments), and entry closes Sunday at noon.

1. Make sure you follow me, and follow my boo Bati on a Boat
2. Follow my booking partners Glimmer Travel X ProfMelissa and Kelltravelled X ProfMelissa
3. Like this post and comment FRIYAY

24/07/2025

What do you do when you have an extra day before (or after) your cruise? Sometimes I do this little trick to squeeze in an extra beach day.

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