I Don't Believe There's One “Best” Cruise Line.

I believe there's a cruise that's right for you. My job is to help you find it.

Cruising isn't one-size-fits-all. The ship your best friend can't stop talking about may not be the right ship for you—and that's exactly why I believe choosing a cruise should start with understanding how you want to travel.

I'm here to help you cut through the noise, understand your options, and find the cruise experience that fits the way you actually want to travel.

I'm a cruise-focused travel advisor, lifelong traveler, and co-owner of Sea & Sun Travel Agency with my wife, April.

But I'm not here to sell you whatever cruise happens to be on sale this week.

I'm here to help you become a more informed cruiser.

There are incredible experiences across today's cruise industry—from action-packed mega-ships and adults-only escapes to premium ocean cruising, intimate elevated ships, river cruises, private-yacht-inspired experiences, and expedition journeys to some of the most remote places on Earth.

The challenge isn't finding a cruise.

It's finding your cruise.

That's where I come in.

Cruise lines are very good at telling you what makes their ships special. I want to help you understand what the experience actually feels like once you're onboard.

When I sail, I'm paying attention.

How does the ship flow? How crowded does it feel? What's the cabin really like? Is the food worth the hype? What's included—and what are you going to pay extra for? How's the service? What's happening after dinner? Is there enough to do? Can you actually relax? And does the overall experience justify what you're spending?

Most importantly, I'm always asking:

Who is this cruise really right for?

A family traveling with three generations wants something very different from a couple celebrating an anniversary. Someone who loves nightlife may be miserable on a quiet elevated ship. A traveler who values exceptional food and destination immersion may happily give up waterslides, Broadway-style entertainment, and a dozen bars.

None of those travelers is wrong.

They simply need different cruises.

I'm not interested in telling you every ship is amazing, every meal is incredible, or every cruise line is perfect.

They're not.

If something impresses me, I'll tell you why. If something disappoints me, I'll tell you that too. And sometimes I'll experience something that isn't right for me personally but immediately know exactly who would love it.

That's what you'll find throughout MikeRobbe.com, Beyond the Gangway, and Sailor Sessions: practical cruise information, personal experience, candid opinions, and perspective you can actually use when deciding where—and how—you want to sail.

I'm not here to convince everyone to cruise the same way I do.

I'm here to help you figure out how you want to cruise.

Loving cruises is one thing. Helping someone make the right travel decision with thousands of dollars—and often one of their most valuable weeks of vacation—is something I take seriously.

I'm a Certified Travel Associate (CTA) and CLIA Accredited Cruise Counsellor (ACC), with additional cruise and luxury-travel training across the industry, including achieving Regent Seven Seas Cruises Master status, Gold First Mate status with Virgin Voyages, and Masters Degree from Royal Caribbean, among other cruise line certifications.

As co-owner of Sea & Sun Travel Agency, I work alongside April to help our clients navigate the details that come after inspiration—choosing the right experience, making reservations, managing the moving pieces, and having an experienced travel professional behind the trip.

Because a great cruise vacation isn't just about picking a ship.

It's about making the right decisions before you ever step onboard—Travel, Designed Around You! 

I created Beyond the Gangway because there's only so much you can learn from a cruise-line brochure or website.

I want to take you onboard.

We'll explore ships, cabins, restaurants, entertainment, destinations, onboard experiences, and the little things you sometimes don't discover until you've already paid for the cruise.

You'll also hear conversations and perspectives through Sailor Sessions, where we can go deeper into cruising, travel experiences, the industry, and the people who make it interesting.

Some experiences will impress me.

Some probably won't.

Either way, I'll tell you what I experienced, what I think, and who I believe would enjoy it.

MikeRobbe.com is where I share my experiences, opinions, cruise education, and recommendations.

When you're ready to turn all of that inspiration into your next cruise, that's where Sea & Sun Travel Agency comes in.

April and I co-own Sea & Sun Travel, where we help our clients plan thoughtfully designed vacations and cruise experiences. That means you're not being handed off to some anonymous call center after you've spent time learning from me.

You're working with our agency.

Whether you've already found exactly what you want or you're still trying to narrow down the choices, we'll help you take the next step.

Travel has been part of my life for a long time, and I've never been particularly good at simply showing up somewhere without wanting to understand it.

I want to know what makes a destination different. I want to try the food, explore the neighborhoods, experience the hotels and ships, talk to people, and figure out what was genuinely worth doing—and what I might skip the next time.

That curiosity is a big part of why I started sharing more of my travels and experiences in the first place. And while cruising is obviously a major part of what you'll find here, for me the ship has never been the entire story. It's the combination of the ship, the destinations, the people you meet, the food you eat, the experiences you have, and those moments you weren't expecting that turn a trip into something you'll remember.

There's always another ship to explore, another destination to experience, and something new to learn.

I'm looking forward to bringing you along.

You don't need to know which cruise line, ship, or itinerary you want before you start exploring.

That's what I'm here for.

Whether you're planning your very first cruise or your fiftieth, let's find an experience that fits you—your travel style, your priorities, your budget, and what you want to get out of your time away.