Thinking about a quick Baja getaway from Long Beach? Here’s how the 3-night Ensenada and 4-night Catalina sailings compare, what they really cost, and who should skip them.

Where ships dock in Mazatlan, what the State Department’s Level 4 Sinaloa advisory actually says, and a practical plan for a cheap, easy port day. Plus what to do when a hurricane skips your stop.

Southeast Alaska is a rainforest, so a real waterproof shell matters more than almost anything else you pack. Here’s what to look for, what to skip and how to spend less.

Skip the product carousels. Here’s how to pick binoculars for an Alaska cruise by magnification, weather-proofing, budget and what you’ll actually be looking at from the deck.

Sitka’s cruise dock is about five to six miles from town, and that one fact shapes every excursion choice. Here’s how to pick the right tour, what it costs, and when to go it alone.

Ketchikan is often one of the first Alaska stops and one of the easiest to do on foot, if you know which dock you’re on. Here’s how to plan your hours, your rain gear and your one big splurge.

Which Juneau docks put you in town in minutes, what you can do on foot for free or cheap, and how to reach Mendenhall Glacier without overpaying. Real numbers, honest skip advice.

Only some Alaska cruises enter Glacier Bay National Park, and a permit system decides which ones. Here’s who gets in, what the day looks like, and how to make sure your sailing includes it.

Can you see the northern lights on an Alaska cruise? Sometimes, but only on late-season sailings and only with luck. Here are the real odds, the numbers behind them and the smarter way to plan it.

Every cruise line sells a 7-night Alaska trip, but the routes are very different. Here’s how Seattle, Vancouver and one-way sailings compare, which glacier day wins, and which itinerary fits your family.