Cruising with Arlene and Vence

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Ever felt like you got a killer deal on a cruise, only to get hit with a massive bill at the end of your trip? You aren'...
06/18/2026

Ever felt like you got a killer deal on a cruise, only to get hit with a massive bill at the end of your trip? You aren't alone.

Cruise lines have been quietly raising their daily gratuity rates, and the numbers might surprise you! If you are planning a vacation soon, here is who is currently charging the most per person, per day for standard rooms:

The Highest Gratuity Rates:

⭐️Margaritaville at Sea & Virgin Voyages: $22.00
⭐️Norwegian Cruise Line: $20.00
⭐️Royal Caribbean: $18.50
⭐️Celebrity & Princess: $18.00

The "Cheaper" Options:

⭐️Carnival & Holland America: $17.00
⭐️Disney Cruise Line: $16.00

Note: If you book a suite, those numbers jump even higher—with Disney Concierge class topping the charts at a whopping $27.25 per person, per day! Plus, don't forget the automatic 18-20% added to your bar tabs and spa visits.

PRO TIP: You can usually lock in lower rates and budget better by prepaying your gratuities online before you sail.

What's the highest onboard bill you've ever received?

06/18/2026

Here we go again

A Miami family is taking legal action against Royal Caribbean Cruises after a fun vacation turned into a medical emergen...
06/18/2026

A Miami family is taking legal action against Royal Caribbean Cruises after a fun vacation turned into a medical emergency.

According to a federal lawsuit filed this month, a young boy was severely injured after slipping and falling on Deck 15's splash pad area aboard the Wonder of the Seas.

The family's lawsuit raises major safety questions:

The parents claim a crew member forced the boy to remove his protective, non-skid water shoes before entering the wet play zone. The lawsuit alleges that faulty drainage caused excessive water to pool, creating an incredibly slick and dangerous surface.

The family is seeking damages for medical bills, emotional distress, and loss of vacation costs, arguing that the cruise line knew about the hazard but failed to fix it.

Let's talk about this because so many of us pack water shoes specifically for cruise pool decks!

What do you think about mandatory "no shoes" rules in wet areas?

A cruise passenger went viral after intentionally leaping off the pier next to the Carnival Breeze in Mexico!Instead of ...
06/18/2026

A cruise passenger went viral after intentionally leaping off the pier next to the Carnival Breeze in Mexico!

Instead of cooperating with port rescue teams, videos show the guest casually floating on his back and leisurely swimming away from security boats as if he were at a resort.

The male passenger deliberately jumped from the high dock structure into the harbor water. Port authorities immediately launched rescue boats and threw life rings, but the passenger ignored instructions and kept swimming away.

Jumping from pier or ship structures violates strict cruise line safety rules. Stunts like this typically result in immediate kick-off from the ship, a lifetime ban from the cruise line, and potential legal detention by Mexican authorities.

This reckless stunt comes just weeks after a tragic accident at nearby Costa Maya, where an 84-year-old grandfather accidentally fell off a pier and had to be saved by a heroic fellow passenger.

What do you think the punishment should be for passengers who pull these kinds of stunts?

A federal lawsuit has been filed against Carnival Cruise Line after a horrific shore excursion accident in the Bahamas r...
06/17/2026

A federal lawsuit has been filed against Carnival Cruise Line after a horrific shore excursion accident in the Bahamas resulted in a 23-year-old Black college graduate losing both of her legs.

Hannah Smith, a recent graduate from Memphis, Tennessee, was celebrating her achievement aboard the Carnival Celebration when the catastrophic incident occurred near Pearl Island.

What the Lawsuit Alleges:

Unsafe Practices: Excursion crew members allegedly pressured the student to consume complimentary rum punch and ma*****na.

Flawed Direction: A crew member told her she could enter the water to relieve herself because the engine was turned off.

The Injury: The vessel's engines were turned back on while improperly docked, sucking her into the spinning propeller. She suffered irreversible trauma and needed double amputation.

The lawsuit names Carnival, Sun Cay, and Pearl Investment Management Group for extreme negligence. Carnival Cruise Line has urged a federal judge to dismiss the case, claiming they are not responsible for independent, third-party tour operators.

What are your thoughts on this? Should cruise lines be held responsible for the excursions they market and sell? Let’s talk in the comments.

Shopping at Dollar Tree for cruise essentials is the ultimate budget hack for both first-time and experienced cruisers t...
06/17/2026

Shopping at Dollar Tree for cruise essentials is the ultimate budget hack for both first-time and experienced cruisers to maximize cabin space and save hundreds of dollars. On-board shops charge premium prices($$$) for basic necessities, making a pre-cruise dollar store run a massive money-saver.

Before you hit "order" on those expensive online retail carts, grab your keys and head straight to your local dollar store.

Pro Tip: The next time you are prepping for your cruise, take 20 minutes to walk the aisles. You’ll be shocked at what you can cross off your packing list for a fraction of the cost. You can unlock some great cruise essentials starting as low as $1.25!

What is the ONE absolute best Dollar Tree item you never board a ship without?

The U.S. Embassy in Nassau issued a strict security alert advising ALL tourists to completely avoid renting jet skis and...
06/17/2026

The U.S. Embassy in Nassau issued a strict security alert advising ALL tourists to completely avoid renting jet skis and personal watercraft in The Bahamas.

The warning highlights severe safety risks, including a lack of regulation, serious physical injuries, and sexual assaults by unlicensed operators.

🚨 High-Risk Areas to Watch:

-Nassau Cruise Port & Paradise Island
-Cabbage Beach & Junkanoo Beach
-Saunders Beach & Arawak Cay

U.S. government personnel are now strictly banned from renting jet skis on New Providence and Paradise Islands. If you are planning a cruise or beach trip, please stay vigilant, decline on-beach watercraft solicitations, and keep your group safe.

Please SHARE this post to warn your friends and family who have upcoming travel plans! 🇧🇸✈️

A 25-year-old man, Matthew Stilwell from Illinois, was arrested and charged with three counts of video voyeurism followi...
06/16/2026

A 25-year-old man, Matthew Stilwell from Illinois, was arrested and charged with three counts of video voyeurism following an incident aboard a Royal Caribbean cruise ship.

The incident took place on May 31, 2026, inside a gift shop on Royal Caribbean's Allure of the Seas.

According to the Broward County Sheriff's Office affidavit, Stilwell followed a 13-year-old girl into the ship's jewelry section. The victim noticed him standing unusually close behind her with his cellphone camera application open, attempting to photograph up her dress at least three times. The victim immediately ran to her mother to report the behavior.

When the ship docked at Port Everglades in Fort Lauderdale, Florida, on June 7, 2026, Broward County deputies boarded the vessel and reviewed onboard CCTV security footage, which corroborated the victim's account.

Deputies reported that Stilwell allegedly confessed to the acts during questioning, though specific details of the statement were redacted in the public arrest forms.

Stilwell was taken into custody and booked into the Paul Rein Detention Facility in Broward County. Court records note his bond was set at $22,500.

A group of American cruise tourists just learned a massive, expensive lesson after starting a violent brawl at the Nassa...
06/16/2026

A group of American cruise tourists just learned a massive, expensive lesson after starting a violent brawl at the Nassau Cruise Port that landed them in a Bahamian jail!

Here is how a vacation completely ruined their wallets and vacation:

🔹 The Port Fight: The group got into a physical altercation right at the port and was quickly arrested by local authorities.

🔹 The Police Station Escalation: Once taken to the Tourism Police Station, the situation exploded. The tourists launched a "violent struggle" against law enforcement. One woman threw a chair through a glass door, while a man kicked out the remaining glass trying to escape.

🔹 Injured Officers: Four Bahamian police officers were injured in the melee, including one officer who had to be hospitalized with a severe shoulder injury.

🔹 The Massive Penalty: A Bahamian court ordered the six tourists to pay $47,350 in fines plus $5,375 in medical compensation to the injured officers on the spot. If they couldn't pay, they faced up to a year in prison.

Unsurprisingly, the group missed their ship's departure.

What are your thoughts? Is a $52,000 fine enough punishment, or should they be permanently banned from cruising? Let us know your thoughts in the comments 👇🏽

06/16/2026

It’s about time

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