About The Editors     Working on a Cruise Review aboard  the Queen Mary 2

Raye & I are a husband and wife team with more than 30 years experience cruising the world. Our mission is plain and simple. We started Cruise Direct Online so we could provide real-life accounts and expert advice, not just a flood of information.

We literarily have cruised "round the world", sailing thousands of nautical miles,  visiting ports of call, inspecting ships, sampling itineraries and critiquing shore excursions... And now through Cruise Traveler Magazine and our other web sites we hope to pass on that knowledge and information to you.

Our stories offer the best possible cruise options based on your lifestyle, interests, budget, travel experience, etc....plus we'll point out where to get group rates ( without joining a group! ), free upgrades, shipboard credits and other amenities or discounts.

At Cruise Direct Online you will find information about your dining choices. Advise about tipping; packing; clothing; flights and schedule options; shore excursions, proper immigration documentations and much more.

At Cruise Direct Online you will find information of value to seniors, families, singles, couples and groups. Plus some "behind the scenes" and 'Know Before You Go" information not found elsewhere.

We also will tell you how to avoid travel scams and common travel mistakes, and share our insights on the latest cruise news and how it affects your vacation planning.

After reading Cruise Direct Online, we hope you will feel confident- and excited- about the choices you have, no matter if this is your first cruise or simply seeking a new adventure. After all, we know that each time you cruise, you will meet new people, make new friends and learn new things as you cruise around the World.

Choosing the cruise that's right for you--that the premise behind Cruise Direct Online and our editorial content promise to you.

Where have Raye and Marty traveled? The Caribbean, Alaska, Mexico, Europe, Mediterranean, Scandinavia, Russia, Canada, French Polynesia, Tahiti, Hawaii and more.  Cruised to over 40 Countries with over a dozen cruise lines....Over 30 times.   Watch for some great stories as they share their adventures with you.

We receives hundreds of cruise questions from all over the world asking our advice in planning a cruise. Now it's your turn. Send us your cruise questions or comments about Cruise Traveler Magazine articles, content, and features.

A little bit of background...

 

Marty is a veteran travel professional. He has been a corporate travel executive for over 30 years. Along with eight years of retail cruise industry experience, he has handled corporate incentives for Pepsi and Ford, managed retail and wholesale tour operations, been a theme park/attractions marketing planner and directed one of the largest annual migration of British Tourists to Walt Disney World!

 

In addition to Cruise Direct Online and Cruise Travel Magazine, he and his wife are also editors and publishers of Cruise Reviews Online and Alaska Cruise Tour Experts. At Cruise Reviews Online you can read hundreds of cruise line and cruise ship reviews by travelers and cruise experts on today's most popular cruise ships. Unbiased and unedited, they share their experience with you. Cruise Reviews Online, is one of the most recognized leading resources for fair and objective information about cruise travel.

 

Together Raye & Marty have edited and published 'The Ultimate Cruise Guide". a cruiser travel reference guide book that is available free for the reading... online.

 

As an knowledgeable expert in the cruise industry,  Marty is a member of the Society of Industry Leaders, where he shares his expertise with members of the financial community conducting industry research. He has also been called upon to assist the media with expert comments on cruise industry news discussing everything from holiday travel trends to cruise safety.

 

They are members of the Society of Professional Journalists, dedicated to encouraging the free practice of journalism and stimulating high standards of ethical behavior.

 

Raye is an educator by profession with over 25 years of teaching experience. Her  experience, both as a mother and teacher bring a unique perspective to family and multi-generational travel. She writes for Dan and Molly's Dockside Cafe'  a travelogue and has worked in the travel industry part-time for as many years as she has been teaching. Through the years, she has helped families from all over the world catch up with loved ones and creating new family memories at sea, noting that "a cruise vacation offers more variety and things to do for both grandparents and children than on a land-based vacation plus a cruise brings everyone together to share a once-in-a lifetime family experience".

 

Raye loves to cruise, likes the big ships to the small ones and always takes timeout to visit the grandkids.

 ( Marty prefers the opposite, the ships that is, )

 

Contributing Editors

Dawn Gesualdi is a professional school and family counselor who has cruised since she was five years-old and offers readers the "scoop" on what children and their parents can expect and experience from the cruise lines kids' and teen programs. Plus Dawn will offer good advice on how to make cruise planning easier for you.

 

CAMERACRAFTSMEN OF AMERICA - MAY 17, 2009  STAR PRINCESS - 90 Guests. "The weather this week was incredible, 70 and sunny. Never saw a bit of rain...but, lots of whales, eagles, porpoise, bear, moose.....etc."