We've made a small habit of seeing the sights during the shoulder and off season. Cruising Alaska and Europe in winter were rewarding for both the lack of crowds, the easy to see sights and most interestingly a good mix of other adventuresome passengers. Our 2 week sojourn on the American Star was a prime example of small ship cruising at its best.

We long ago learned to pack for any weather so no matter the climate, it's never an inconvenience to travel. Our November trip came right on the heels of Hurricane Sandy and we wondered what we'd get - that goes beyond control of what we could pack. Our worries were for nought. Though we hit a little rain and some cool weather, the majority of days had enough sunshine that our sunglasses got more of a workout than our rainwear.

The ship was as advertised with a spacious, modern and well appointed cabin. We joked with the hotel manager Adriano, that he could reduce the size of the rooms. We told him that our travel in other parts of the year is in a travel trailer with less square footage than our cabin. Food was excellent and you get any sized portion (or more of anything). We met other passengers with a variety of dietary needs and all we heard was praise (even for the Vegans among us). Read more