Cruise with Ben and David

If you’re planning an Alaska cruise, there’s one shore excursion that pops up on almost every itinerary: the historic White Pass & Yukon Route Railroad in Skagway. In this guide, David (our resident train geek) and I break down what the train ride is actually like, reveal three essential seating hacks most reviewers miss, and share our honest verdict on whether the $400+ luxury VIP carriage is genuinely worth your money or if a Yukon combination tour is the smarter pick.

Our review of our three tour food tour in La Spezia, Italy. We sampled fresh Ligurian focaccia, chickpea farinata, 121-year-old family pesto pasta, fried local seafood, and artisanal gelato.

Stepping out onto your cabin balcony at six o'clock in the morning to watch Juneau's snow-capped mountains drift past is pure magic. But as Alaska's isolated capital, navigating a port day here comes with a few unique logistical surprises—from eye-wateringly expensive excursions to tendering headaches. Having sailed into Juneau across Celebrity Cruises, Virgin Voyages, and Norwegian Cruise Line, we’re sharing our honest, real-world guide to the best things to do, what to skip, where to eat local fish tacos, and how to avoid the most common cruise mistakes.