About

I am…
The Original Cruise Maven.

I’m Sherry and I created the original Cruise Maven website. When my site was fraudulently appropriated in 2024, I needed a new source of income and a fresh online presence. Despite the overwhelming and devastating loss, I created this new site, ReadyGoCruise.com.

Many of my original posts are on this site, updated and refreshed, along with my copyrighted photos and videos. I’ll be adding new and more in-depth ship reporting, cruise life realities plus updated port and destination guides and packing tips. First-hand experiences for the best advice.

WHERE I’VE BEEN

Yes, I’m a solo traveler and started at a young age.

My first solo trip was aboard the old Santa Fe Super Chief train from Chicago to Phoenix. My parents put me on the train to visit family in Phoenix.

Since then, I’ve traveled solo on almost every Amtrak train logging nearly 100,000 miles, traveled on all sorts of rickety and luxury day and overnight trains throughout Europe and parts of Canada.

I’ve taken more than 200 cruises, visited 65 countries, all without flying, including ports in Russia, Tunisia and Brazil.

MY MOST MEMORABLE CRUISES

While there are many, many cruises on rivers and oceans that stand out in my memory, the #1 experience has to be the 20-day round-trip cruise from Fort Lauderdale to the Amazon! When the M.S. Olympia entered the Amazon river from the Atlantic, it continued for 1,000 miles until we reached the old city of Manaus, once a boom town for rubber production.

My #2 all-time favorite cruise was a river cruise with Uniworld, from the Black Sea to the North Sea. A three-week cruise that included the Danube, Main and Rhine rivers. We passed through war-torn Serbia and Croatia, a narrow, rocky passage aptly known as The Iron Gates plus every major city along the way.

If you asked me what my #3 favorite cruise was, it would be a three-way tie. A 21-day full Panama Canal transit from Ft. Lauderdale to Los Angeles aboard Crystal Serenity, a two-week Canada/New England cruise from Ft. Lauderdale to Montreal on Celebrity Constellation and all 14 Queen Mary 2 transatlantic crossings!

Not to mention Mediterranean cruises aboard Windstar’s Wind Surf, Star Clippers’ Royal Clipper and MSC Splendida all the way from New York to Tunisia and back to Rome.

PROFESSIONAL EXPERIENCE

Over a 15 year span, I’ve written hundreds of articles for my own site, a regular contributor to online sites like US News and World, MSN, AOL Travel, plus print magazines that include Porthole Magazine, Travel Trade, Travel and Leisure, Frommer’s, and articles for in-cabin books at Cunard, Holland America, and Seabourn, I’ve written train articles about Amtrak and the on-board magazine at Alaska Railroad.

As a cruise expert, I’ve been quoted in numerous print and online publications such as Wall Street Journal, U.S. News & World, USAToday, Reader’s Digest, Washington Post, and more.

For USA Today’s annual 10Best Reader’s Choice Awards, I’ve been a nominating judge for the past 10 years.

HOW I TRAVEL

For decades my preferred mode of travel was on cruise ships and river ships. And of course, trains. In the past four years since I adopted my little dog, Poppy, I’ve added road trips in my camper van named Pearl.

Poppy goes everywhere with me. She’s also been on Alaska Inside Passage cruises and several day ferries as well.

Yes, I still love to be on the water and will continue to experience cruise ships and share honest reviews. Same for small ships on inland waters. And when Poppy comes on board with me, I’ll let you know all the details.

When I’m not cruising on oceans or rivers, on a train or road trip, I’m at home, usually in the kitchen trying a new recipe, playing the piano or guitar (not well) or just taking a walk with my dog.

I’m also an avid solo traveler eager to offer plenty of solo travel advice, a wanna-be decent photographer and home cook.

Ready Go Cruise will continue as its predecessor, to be a dominate leading source for cruise tips, ship and port reviews, shore excursion suggestions and solo female travel advice. Even more, I want to help you with all the other facets of travel that include hotel reviews, where to eat, stay and play, and even loyalty programs.

My mission here at Ready Go Cruise is to inspire, inform and motivate you to get onboard, travel slow and go far, with or without your trusty four-legged companion.

Unwind, be kind and savor the journey!

Sherry