Who We Are

 

  • Greg McDowell and May Aston, happily married 22 years

  • Cruising to see the world, experience new cultures and enjoy the ship lifestyle, since 2010

  • 46 cruises on 5 cruise lines, over 350 nights

  • 2025:  18+ cruises totaling over 100 nights

  • Norwegian (NCL) early on; Royal Caribbean (RC) focus last few years, enjoying benefits of loyalty status

  • Celebrity, Princess and Holland America in recent years

  • Plenty of Caribbean voyages, 3-9 days each

  • 10-15 day TransAtlantic experiences, both east and west

  • Also, Australia, Asia, Alaska and Canada

  • Hoping to cruise at least monthly, with extended non-jet lag adventures to (or from) Europe, far into the future

What is this?

  • We began this website/blog to share our experiences and insights, gained over a period of years, on different cruise lines and ships.

  • Every cruise offers a new opportunity - to learn and compare.

  • We will share our personal experiences, tips, recommendations - both positive and negative, with the goal of helping you become… “Informed Cruisers.”

Recent and Future Cruises

Recent

See Drop-down for Detailed Reviews, by ship

  • 9/5/25. Alaska - RT Seattle; RC Anthem, 7 nights
  • 7/21/25. Bahamas - RT Port Canaveral; RC Utopia; 4 nights
  • 6/21/25. Western Caribbean; RT Port Canaveral; RC Adventure, 6 nights
  • 6/6/25. Bahamas and CocoCay; RT Ft. Lauderdale; RC Jewel, 10 nights (B2B2B)
  • 4/25/25. Transpacific; Tokyo to Seattle; RC Anthem; 15 nights
  • 4/16/25. Far East; Singapore to Hong Kong; RC Ovation, 5 nights
  • 2/17/25. Eastern Caribbean/Turks; RT Port Canaveral; Caribbean Princess; 6 nights

Planned

  • 10/9/25. Fall Foliage; Boston to Quebec; Princess' Majestic; 10 nights
  • 11/16/25. Caribbean; on our first Icon Class; RC's newest Star of the Seas; 7 nights
  • 12/6/25. Caribbean and Key West; RT Ft. Lauderdale; Holland America's Nieuw Statendam; 7 nights
  • 12/22/25. Caribbean; Christmas Cruise; RT Port Canaveral; RC's Utopia (5th for us); 4 nights
  • 4/23/26. TransAtlantic; Port Canaveral to Barcelona; RC's Explorer; 14 nights
  • 5/9/26. British Isles; RT Amsterdam; Celebrity's Eclipse; 12 nights

7/20 - undecided what else might go on this Home Page

 

 

About us

Informed Cruisers started with a simple yet powerful idea: sharing personal cruise experiences. As a blog, we focus on providing personal attention and dedication in every post. Our approach is rooted in authenticity and passion, ensuring that every article reflects our commitment to delivering valuable cruise insights.