Tom Ogg's Cruise Reviews

Welcome to my cruise and MEGA cruise review page. I got the idea of doing these MEGA reviews from the various e-mails I get from CruiseReviews.com readers asking for more and more specific information about cruise ships, itineraries, shore excursions and other questions. Did I know if the ship had an Internet Cafe? How many Jacuzzis are on board? Are there self-service laundry facilities? What is the dress code? and so on. These reviews attempt to relate as much information (through the use of pictures as well) as possible for the reader to absorb about the particular ship, itinerary and ports.

I should tell you a little about myself so that you can understand my reviews better. I love to travel and have been doing so for over 45 years. I fell in love with cruising about fifteen years ago and have been on lots (hundreds) of cruises of all kinds since. I have never had an un-enjoyable cruise. Every last cruise is etched in my memory and I wouldn't change a one of them for anything. To me just the adventure of a cruise is everything as each experience is unique. I try to share ways to improve your experience on the ship I am reviewing. Rather than point out negatives, I share ways to enhance your cruise experience to minimize any negatives that may exist.

While I enjoy fine dining and excellent entertainment, I am just as happy with not-so-fine dining and OK entertainment. But I am kind of a health and fitness nut and I demand that there be healthy choices available for meals and at least a minimal fitness center. I think that it is the dinner conversation that makes the meal not the waiter. About the only thing I find offensive is invasive behavior by the cruise line itself. I don't like being pestered to purchase stuff and I don't particularly care for pool games or other structured events.

I have traveled extensively and am just as happy in a Third World environment as I am in London, Monte Carlo, Hong Kong or Honolulu. For vacation each year we spend weeks surfing in Mainland Mexico and live in a small Mexican village that most folks would consider poverty stricken. We have become part of the community and have made some life-long friends. My son wants to move there when he graduates from college. To me, finding the beauty in each experience is what life is all about.

For these reasons you won't find many complaints about the dining, entertainment, service or ports in my reviews. I take it as my personal responsibility to turn a surly waiter into a friend, to enjoy even a poorly prepared meal and never let it influence the dinner conversation and to have fun in every situation I am presented with.

Cruising is one of life's great adventures and it is yours to enjoy. I hope these reviews and articles bring more enjoyment into your life.

Before You Book Your Cruise Here is a "Must Read" article for every cruiser. It deals with the realities of traveling and cruising post 911 and shares how to maximize your cruise experience while minimizing the events that tend to derail a cruise vacation.

All About Travel Insurance Do you wonder if you need travel insurance, or not? This article will explain every detail of travel insurance and let you decide based on realities rather than feelings. It even goes so far as to suggest specific companies to purchase it from.

May, 2006	RCI's Freedom of the Seas Inaugural Sailing
April, 2006	RCI's Explorer of the Seas in the Eastern Caribbean
March, 2006	Oceania's Insignia on the Amazon River
February, 2006	Celebrity's Millennium in South America
January, 2006	Crystal Serenity in the Mexican Riviera
November, 2005	Celebrity's Galaxy in the Panama Canal
September, 2005	Celebrity Cruises Millennium in the Western Mediterranean
August, 2005	Royal Caribbean's Splendour of the Seas in the Western Mediterranean
June, 2005	Celebrity's Mercury in Alaska
May, 2005	Celebrity's Century in the Baltic
April, 2005	MSC's Lirica in the Southern Caribbean
Feb., 2005	Delta Queen's American Queen on the Mississippi
Dec., 2004	RCI's Brilliance of the Seas in the Panama Canal
Dec., 2004	MSC's Opera; Cruise to Nowhere
Nov., 2004	Celebrity's Mercury in the Deep Mexican Riviera
October, 2004	Radisson's Seven Seas Voyager 14 Days of Luxury in the Eastern Mediterranean
September, 2004	Royal Caribbean's Navigator of the Seas in the Western Caribbean
August, 2004	Celebrity's Infinity in Alaska
August, 2004	NCL's Norwegian Star in Alaska
July, 2004	Royal Caribbean's Legend of the Seas in Mexico
June, 2004	Celebrity's Millennium in the Mediterranean
April, 2004	Radisson Seven Sea's Navigator in the Western Caribbean
April, 2004	MSC's Lirica in the Deep Western Caribbean and Panama Canal
March, 2004	Royal Caribbean's Mariner of the Seas in the Western Caribbean
January, 2004	Cunard's Queen Mary 2 on a Cruise to Nowhere
January, 2004	RCI's Splendour of the Seas in the Western Caribbean
Sept., 2003	Oceania Cruise's Regatta in Western Europe
August, 2003	The Rhine and Moselle Rivers on the Amadeus Symphony
July, 2002	Scandinavia and Russia on the World's Most Luxurious Ship
July, 2002	Europe and the Baltic on the World's Most Luxurious Ship
June, 2002	Freestyling in Alaska
May, 2002	Silver Whisper, Ultra Luxury in the Med
March, 2002	The Norwegian Star - Freestyling in the Pacific
February, 2002	Freestyling Down Under on the Norwegian Wind
Oct. and Nov. 2001	The Mexican Riviera on the Sea Princess
Sept., 2001	Small Ship Cruising in Alaska
July, 2001	Dover to Stockholm on Renaissance's R-7
June, 2001	Rome to Barcelona on Renaissance's R-1
April, 2001	Barcelona to Lisbon on Renaissancee's R-1
March, 2001	Exploring Costa Rica with Temptress
February, 2001	Free Styling aboard the Norwegian Sky
January, 2001	Athens to Istanbul aboard Renaissance's new R-7
December, 2000	Tahiti aboard Renaissance's R-3