Hi I’m Sherry!
Hello, I’m Sherry Laskin, a cruise and travel writer, blogger, photographer and podcaster. My travel experiences on cruise ships, river ships, trains, and road trips are accomplished without the need for flying. I’ve been on this journey since 2007, and my passion for exploration remains unwavering.
In fact, at last count, I have visited 65 countries without ever flying. While I haven’t made it around the world in 80 days yet, it’s still on my agenda. Thank you Jules Verne and Nellie Bly for the inspiration.
About Sherry Laskin – Cruise Maven
My Mission: Through writing, social media, and other outlets, my goal is to entertain, inspire, and guide readers to discover the joys of non-flying travel. This includes exploring different countries and cultures through cruise ships, river ships, trains, and road trips.
My Travel Style: Except for the two pandemic years, I spent over four months each year traveling on cruise ships, river ships, and trains in Europe and the USA. How do I reach far-off destinations? By traveling throughout the USA on Amtrak or river cruises and and European ocean cruises, river cruises, and trains . For my yearly European adventures, I embark on two transatlantic crossings, typically aboard the Queen Mary 2.
What You’ll Find Here: CruiseMaven.com offers not only cruise ship reviews and news but also the latest information on trains, hotels, cruise ports, and destinations. As a food and wine enthusiast, I’m always on the lookout for local cuisine, regional wines, and craft beer. And if you’re interested in solo travel, I’ve become quite the expert over the years.
Beyond Travel: When I’m not on the road, I’m often found in the kitchen honing my cooking skills, playing my ukulele, or enjoying long walks with my dog.
How It All Began: My love for cruising goes way back, more than five decades to be exact. As a child, I crossed the Pacific with my parents aboard the SS Matsonia, an 18,000-ton ship. That’s me in the photo above, steering the ship.
Today, you’ll typically find me on cruise ships and river ships, diligently taking notes and snapping thousands of photos. On land, there are hotel and train journeys to review, cruise ports to explore, bustling cities and charming towns to discover, and, of course, delicious meals to savor and wines to enjoy.
The Birth of Cruise Maven: The idea for Cruise Maven first came to mind in 2001 when I purchased the domain name. In 2007, CruiseMaven.com was officially launched. My articles and photos have been featured in various travel industry and consumer print publications, including Travel Trade, Travel Weekly, Travel and Leisure News, Senior Scene Magazine, Porthole Magazine, Frommer’s Guide to the Greek Islands, and in-cabin books for Cunard, Holland America, and Seabourn.
Online media outlets where my work has been published include Huffington Post, MSNBC, USA Today, Livestrong, Onboard.com, Answers.com, Travel Market Report, AOL Style, eHow.com, US News, and World Travel.
In the News: I’ve been quoted in prominent publications like Frommers.com, MSNBC, The New York Times, Miami Herald, Wall Street Journal, and the Sun-Sentinel, to name a few. I’ve also been a featured guest on Frommer’s Travel Radio Show, JiggyJaguar.com, and Paul Lasley’s OnTravel Radio Show. For several years, I provided weekly cruise news on CruiseRadio.net.
Where I’ve Been: I’m a committed non-flyer since 1995, and my “If there’s a port, I can get there” philosophy has taken me on incredible journeys. I’ve traveled over 2,000 miles on the Amazon River, cruised from Florida to St. Petersburg, Russia, explored Carthage, Tunisia, and traversed over 18,000 miles on the Danube, Main, Rhine, and Mosel rivers from Bulgaria to Amsterdam and northernmost Holland. The rivers in Europe have taken me from the Black Sea to the North Sea.
Most recently, I’ve had the privilege to explore and live in Alaska, from the Southeast in the Tongass National Forest to crossing the Arctic Circle.
Memberships: I’m a proud member of organizations such as SATW (Society of American Travel Writers), North American Travel Journalists Association, International Food, Wine, and Travel Writers Association, and the Women’s Food Alliance. I’ve also served on the Cruise Lines International Association (CLIA) Travel Agent Advisory Board and the Norwegian Cruise Line Advisory Board as a founding member for four terms.
If you’re ready to embark on unforgettable non-flying travel adventures, you’ve come to the right place. Join me on CruiseMaven.com, where the world is your oyster, no matter how you choose to explore it.
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