River, ocean, and Disney Cruise Line, matched to the trip you want.
A Rhine river cruise is a different vacation than a Royal Caribbean megaship. Both are excellent. Picking the right one is the planner's job.
Which cruise are you looking for?
Three very different vacations share the word cruise. Pick your lane and go straight to the details, or keep scrolling for the full comparison.
River Cruises
Intimate 150-guest ships on the Danube, Rhine and Douro. A new town most mornings.
River Cruises
Ocean Cruises
Royal Caribbean, Celebrity, Princess and Norwegian to the Caribbean, Alaska and the Med.
Ocean Cruises
Disney Cruise Line
The eight-ship fleet, Castaway Cay, and rotational dining. Built for families.
Disney Cruise LineTwo oceans, twenty rivers, one right ship.
Cruising is the entire spectrum, from a 156-guest AmaWaterways river vessel on the Danube to a 6,000-guest Royal Caribbean Wonder of the Seas in the Caribbean. The vacations could not be more different.
I plan both. A first ocean cruise for a family with toddlers belongs on a different ship than a milestone river cruise for empty-nesters. A Disney Cruise Line voyage for a family celebrating a child's eighth birthday is a totally different planning conversation from a Celebrity transatlantic for a couple's twentieth anniversary.
The cabin category, the deck, the dining schedule, the excursion strategy, and the pre- or post-cruise hotel night. Every choice compounds. Get them right and the trip is seamless. Get them wrong and you spend the week wishing you had picked differently.
Cruise lines reward booking with a specialist.
Onboard credit, free dining packages, cabin upgrades, and pre-paid gratuities are routinely available through travel advisors that you cannot get booking direct.
Group-rate perks.
I book through my consortium agreements with onboard credit, dining packages, and stateroom upgrades that you do not see on the cruise line's public website.
Real itinerary nuance.
Some Caribbean ports overlap with hurricane season. Some Mediterranean weeks are dramatically less crowded. Some Alaska itineraries skip the best glacier viewing. I know.
Pre and post coverage.
A great cruise trip is the cruise plus the hotel night before and sometimes the city after. I plan the full trip, not just the boat.
Small ships, big rivers.
Intimate 150-to-200-guest ships on the Danube, Rhine, and Douro, docking in a new town center most mornings. AmaWaterways, Uniworld, and Viking, matched to the right river and the right week.
The big ship, done right.
Royal Caribbean, Celebrity, Princess, and Norwegian to the Caribbean, Alaska, and the Mediterranean. The line, the region, and the cabin category matched to who is going.
The one built for families.
Disney Cruise Line is its own planning conversation: the eight-ship fleet, Castaway Cay and Lookout Cay, and rotational dining, with sailings that open early and sell out fast.
Wendi is fabulous. She helped me plan my cruise and does not miss a single detail. And her services are free. Let her plan your next vacation.Laura H.Cruise · Google review
What people ask first.
What is the difference between a river cruise and an ocean cruise?
River cruises sail inland waterways on intimate ships of 150 to 200 guests, focusing on shore excursions and local culture. Ocean cruises sail larger vessels with 2,000 to 6,000 guests, focusing on resort-style amenities plus port visits. They are entirely different vacation styles.
Which cruise line should I pick?
It depends on the trip. AmaWaterways is the leader in European river. Celebrity is premium ocean. Royal Caribbean is family-energetic. Disney Cruise Line is purpose-built for families with kids. Princess is mid-tier and dependable. Norwegian is freestyle. I match the line to the trip.
When should I book a cruise?
Six to eighteen months out for best cabin selection. River cruises sell out far ahead for popular sailings (Christmas markets, tulip season, Rhine summer). Disney Cruise Line opens earliest and sells out fastest.
Do you charge a planning fee for cruises?
No. The cruise line pays my commission. You pay the same fare booking with me as you would direct, plus you get planning, cabin-category advice, dining strategy, and on-trip support included.
Can you book pre and post-cruise hotels and flights?
Yes. A full cruise trip usually includes a pre-cruise hotel near the embarkation port, sometimes a post-cruise extension, and air. I coordinate all of it.
What about excursions?
Excursions matter as much as the ship. Cruise-line excursions are safest for tight port windows. Independent excursions can be richer but require careful timing. I plan an excursion strategy for each port that fits your travel style.
Ready to plan a cruise matched to your family?
Tell me who is going, when, and what you want from the week. I respond personally within one business day.