The Informed Traveler
The Informed Traveler
Top Cruise Lines for 2026 & Hiking Mt. Kilimanjaro
U.S. News & World Report, recently released its 2026 Best Cruise Lines rankings. So on this week's show travel expert Onanta Forbes will join me to discuss some of the findings and to offer some cruise tips in general. Then we'll get some insight into hiking Mt Kilimanjaro, in Tanzania from hiking guide, outdoor enthusiast and founder of TJHiker.com.
Well, hello and welcome to the Informed Traveler Podcast, a weekly travel podcast where our goal is to help you become a more informed traveler. I'm your host, Randy Sharman. U.S. News and World Report recently released its 2026 Best Cruise Line Rankings. So in a few seconds, travel expert Onanta Forbes will join me to discuss some of the findings and to offer some cruise tips in general. And then we'll get some insight into hiking Mount Kilimanjaro in Tanzania. Hiking guide, outdoor adventurer, and founder of the website TJhiker.com, Terry Jerome will be here to share her knowledge. She's hiked Kilimanjaro five times, so she has plenty of experience to share. But first, let's kick things off. Chatting with travel expert Onanta Forbes, who joins us each week to discuss some of the travel news and travel trends. You can follow her adventures on Instagram, Facebook, and ex at Onanta Forbes. OnantaForbes.com is her website. Hello, Onanta.
SPEAKER_02:Hi, Randy. How are you?
SPEAKER_00:I'm good. I wish I was on a cruise, actually. It's been a while since I've been on a cruise. We're going to talk about cruising, uh, mostly because of this uh list of awards, the best cruise line rankings. This is from U.S. News and World Report. They're the publisher's uh best hotels, best vacations, best travel reward, best of everything.
SPEAKER_02:Yeah, I know. It's it was quite interesting to see what they thought of. And um, it's uh cruising is really popular. Like as far as repeat and referral type of um travel arrangements, cruising tops the list because there's so many options to choose from. It's a very competitive market. So um if you have a favorite cruise line or you want to try somebody new that's into the marketplace, um, I think there's a lot of options for you. And also uh you could see a lot of the world by cruising.
SPEAKER_00:Well, they are a dedicated bunch, I will say that, and I'm I would include myself. I shouldn't say they. We are a dedicated bunch as far as cruising. I have my favorite. I'm a Hall in America snob, mostly because I worked with it for so long and and I do like their product. But one that popped up on this list of uh best cruise lang rankings, 40% of the top accolades went to uh Viking.
SPEAKER_02:Right.
SPEAKER_00:Uh so I've never sailed on biking. I think you have, but uh um what are your thoughts?
SPEAKER_02:Viking's really good because it also offers river cruising as well as ocean cruising. So that's it's uh it it's kind of it covers quite a bit for different types of travelers. Now, for river cruising, that's where it kind of first came into the play. Um, river cruising is hugely popular, which we have for for travelers worldwide. Um and it gives you a more immersive way to see different parts of the world. Um, I've gone with uh biking on a river cruise through Europe, um, as well as a um their ocean liners. Now I like about their ocean is that it's adults only, it's not very big, it's like only say 940 passenger count. Um it's a big there's no casino on board. You get a um short surgeon included um daily, if you wish to take advantage of that, which I would uh definitely recommend that. And it's a very low-key kind of atmosphere. There's no um disco, um, it's like maybe a violinist or a cello s playing in the evening in the background. If you are like me and my partner, when we go dining, it we can easily get a table for two or um hook up with other new tools that we haven't met before. So it's a nice experience to go, and it offers different opportunities for uh places within the world. Um, also some interesting shakeups. Um, Virgin Voyages, they're kind of screaming onto the market. They're the best cruise lines for the money, which is great for anybody watching their budget. Now, again, Virgin, interesting enough, um, is adults only. It's uh run by um or created by Richard Branson of Virgin. So, you know, it's gonna be unique in its um look and its feel and its offering. So another new um, I guess, person or cruise line on the market place in the last couple of years that you should look for.
SPEAKER_00:Mm-hmm. Well, and uh the best cruise line for families was Disney, followed by Royal Caribbean, Norwegian. One that's uh that's suspiciously absent in uh just glancing at some of the lists here is uh Carnival. And and and and some of the main stays, like uh you don't you're right in in some of the newer companies, like Explorer Journeys comes up uh a lot, Regent Seven Seas, there's Viking that we mentioned, Silver Seas, Celebrity, Disney. But the the main stays that seem to have uh been there for so long, uh, and I'm thinking of Princess, Carnival, and even Hall in America seem to be absent from this list.
SPEAKER_02:Interesting, isn't that? It's all it's a it's basically uh um showcasing opportunities for cruisers or just travelers in general to maybe experience something new. And you're right about Explorer journeys because they um it's almost like a newcomer and and they are you know yearly they release new ships. Um they have a pretty pretty impressive debut. They're they landed uh in the top three across six categories. Um so I haven't um traveled on Explorer yet, but I've had colleagues within our office that have and clients that have, and they really quite enjoy it. Um and as you say, um you've mentioned the top three for families, um, for couples, explorers one, as well as Seaborn, in luxury, as well as Explorer and Viking, Regent Seven Seas, and in Dining for Mainstream. Um, it's it's Virgin that takes stop spot um ahead of Celebrity and Disney. Now, what's interesting is there's a lot of cruise ships out there, but there's even more coming for 2026, and some of the highly anticipated ships um include the Norwegian Luna, and this is a prima plus class ship featuring the longest and the fastest slides at sea. I don't know if I do it, but there's lots of people that would. And then Legend of the Seas, which is Royal Caribbean's third iconic or icon class uh ship, but it's including eight neighborhoods, category six, what does that mean? Water park? It's like, wow, and a production of better than a five, I guess. I guess a production of Charlie and the uh chocolate factory, and then region has a new ultra luxury vessel, it's called Seven Seas Prestige, it's coming out at the end of next year, and it's featuring all suite accommodations and one of the highest passenger to space ratios in the industry. And then Vikings coming out with another ship, it's called the Libra, and it's set to be the first hydrogen-powered cruise ship focusing on zero emission and navigation. We've talked about in the past how sustainable travel is really important or becoming very important in traveler's choice. So, something to consider when you are um looking at uh new new opportunities to sail on ships, and people really like being the first on the ship. Like, can you imagine being on a ship? It's uh inaugural sailing, and nobody slept in that bed before.
SPEAKER_00:Yes, there is something to that. Um, and you're right, like there is so much out there, so many options. Uh, it would be very confusing uh to a newcomer. Like I said, uh the you know people are quite dedicated to their cruise line. Uh, but for somebody that's new to cruising, say they want to try it out, uh, if they came to you, what would be some of your suggestions uh in beginning to plan a cruise?
SPEAKER_02:I would ask them, you know, what um who they're traveling with, first of all. Are you traveling with family and friends? Are you just traveling as a couple? Are you traveling as a solo? Because that makes a difference as well. Um my other question was uh, where would you like to travel to as far as where in the world? Because there's lots of opportunity um for destinations that are mainstream, but also new destinations. Like Explora has one um that's going to Oman, and that is an up-and-coming uh destination. And if you want to know more, go on to my website. I just posted um something about that destination, about why you should go. So it really does depend on um what's included too. Like sometimes there's um flights included, sometimes there's a business free business class upgrade that's included, and that's you know, it's always better to arrive in in um like arrive in better shape when you go business class, right? Um it it's is Wi-Fi included because that's hugely important to people as well, and specialty dining, that is huge, like as far as not having to pay for going to a restaurant that's maybe a little bit more upscale than the um the usual dining options on a cruise ship. So it really does depend on who um who to travel with. I think one of my favorite experiences was going um um I and I traveled with Princess Anne with Seaborne and with Windstar to this destination was French Polynesia. It was such a beautiful destination. We're on smaller ships, it was the opportunity to go to different islands that um you know it um that you just kind of see about in movies that you think, oh my gosh, am I really here? Because and the people are just beautiful. I I think I've all I've shared on past podcasts. One of a favorite memory is we're in port, it's Sunday afternoon going into the evening, and you're looking out on your from your deck, and you see the streams of white coming down from the hills. And it was people um going to church, and then when they got to church, you heard them sing because you know the churches have um open air windows, and it was just a it was just kind of a moment that you get um when I'm you know lucky enough to travel.
SPEAKER_00:Mm-hmm. Uh I always envied people that live in like Fort Lauderdale, the Florida area, or any any place that's close to close to a cruise port because they can just drive and you know they can do a cruise for a thousand bucks. Like because the biggest part of cruising for people like us that are landlocked is getting to the cruise port, and a big chunk of the cost is just the flights alone.
SPEAKER_02:It is, and a lot of those people who are at the ports already sometimes have like um special resident uh prices because they're already in Florida, they can just jump on a cruise and go, um, like on a three, five, or seven-night cruise throughout the Caribbean. So you're right, kind of lucky when you're already there and you can go. And a lot of people now are are are definitely considering how they're flying to the destinations because um it's not always easy to fly, and also you know, you have to get to the airport so early and stuff. So it's it's nice when you like when Alaska season comes um for Western counter, an easy job to get to Vancouver.
SPEAKER_00:Mm-hmm. Exactly. Uh, what about just and I don't want to get bogged down too much because there is so much you can do, just just choosing a cabin or or that type of thing.
SPEAKER_02:I always recommend um a choice of a balcony cabin. Um it's it's you know, we you have to look at costs absolutely because everybody has a budget, but I think it's a nice opportunity to um have a different aspect of your cruise. Like you could get up morning, have a coffee, you know, watch as you enter a port, or just as you are cruising, um, just to see the scenery. Alaska again is a great destination to see um, you know, protect perhaps wildlife or the calfing of a glacier, um, seeing that or hearing it. Um, and you know, in the evening as well, having a cocktail and just enjoying just the peace and the quiet of cruising. Um, I know earlier this year when we went on our Hall in America cruise, um it was just nice to go out um on our deck and just read a book and just um enjoy a sea day on our balcony. So I would definitely recommend a balcony when you're traveling. And then also um your packages, what does that include? So Wi-Fi dining, um, door excursions. It's important that you get the best value when you go on your cruise. So that's where your travel agent comes in and they can look at where you want to go and how long you want to go for, um, and then go. If you're a first-time cruiser, maybe just start with a seven-day cruise because you don't know if you like cruising, if you can manage this the the um the motion. Um, but saying that, a lot of these uh ships are very technologically advanced that stabilize, so you don't really have to worry about that in a sense. But people are can be um quite sensitive with regards to motion. So we have to make sure that uh cruising is the right choice for you.
SPEAKER_00:Stay close to the shore. I don't know if you'd want to do an Atlantic cruise the first time.
SPEAKER_02:That's right. And you might, you know, and you don't like if it's a your first time cruiser, I might even go for a port-intensive cruise. Not a lot of sea days at first until you know. Um, or you know, depending on your level of um travel experience, um, if you you know how how zen you want to be.
SPEAKER_00:I always say too, uh, once you've had a balcony, you'll never go back.
SPEAKER_03:And you shouldn't.
SPEAKER_00:Absolutely. Lots of great tips, lots of great advice. Uh Onanda Forbes is a travel expert. You can follow her on Facebook, Instagram, and X at Onanda Forbes. You can check out her website, onantaforbes.com. And uh, if you want to go on a cruise, that's uh you're the person to ask, right?
SPEAKER_02:Please call me.
SPEAKER_00:Thanks, Onanda.
SPEAKER_02:Thank you. Have a good day.
SPEAKER_00:This is the Informed Traveler Podcast. I'm Randy Sharman. Just want to remind you of our website, the informed traveler.org. That's where you can find our contact page if you have any questions or comments about the podcast. You can also email me too with any questions you might have or any show segment ideas. My email address is randy at theinformtraveler.org. And you can check out our social media pages at facebook.com slash informed traveler, Instagram at informed traveler, or on X at Informed Traveler. That's where you can find a number of videos and reels from our adventures throughout the year and audio clips from our past shows. Plus, you can sign up for a monthly newsletter as well. It's released at the beginning of every month. Our December issue will soon be available. Just go to our website, the informedtraveler.org, click on the newsletter button, and it'll take you right there. Or better yet, you can subscribe to it and have it arrive in your inbox each month. Well, reaching the summit of any mountain is quite an accomplishment, but for many, hiking up Mount Kilimanjero in Tanzania is a bucket list activity. So joining me now to share her experience doing just that is Terry Jerome, or TJ as she likes to be called. She's a hiking guide, outdoor adventurer, and the founder of her website, tjhiker.com. Hi, TJ. Hey Randy, how are you? I'm well, thank you. Uh um tell me about your your website, tjhiker.com. Uh obviously uh you it's about hiking and to various parts of the world, but uh you've uh you've traveled to to many different places, so uh just just give me uh some insight on what tjiker.com was all about.
SPEAKER_01:Yeah, Randy, thanks. Um well, you know, we we do a lot of different things, and um I I the website doesn't really reflect everything that we do. I've I've got a you know fairly small client base, and um a lot of times those trips will sell out before I have a chance to put them on the website. Um, so that's kind of a limited a limited thing. The best way to get all the information is to contact me directly. I kind of came about this this business um by accident. Um I was working for a uh health health and wellness retreat, kind of a a well uh weight loss program, and um I started working with people who wanted to get into shape and lose weight, and I'm I oversaw the hiking program that we had, and we did fitness hiking, and a lot of people who would come out and uh do these hikes every day would start to lose weight and get into shape. A lot of them absolutely hated hiking when they started, uh, but uh over the course of doing these hikes uh um uh through week-long programs and sometimes multiple weeks, they would they would lose weight and then they'd be like, Well, what's next? So um I ended up spontaneously taking a group to uh Mount Kilimanjaro and it kind of took off from there.
SPEAKER_00:Nice. Well, I am looking on your website again, it's TJhiker.com, and there's all you've done all kinds of uh hiking adventures, but the one we're going to mention is what you talked about, is uh Mount Kilimanjaro. I know nothing about it. This is what I know is that it's in Tanzania. Uh it's a it's a designated national park, and it's uh at its highest peak, uh just over 19,000 feet. That's what I know. So I'm I'm I'm excited to learn much more than that. But being a designated national park, I would think that um you need someone that's gonna take you through there. You it it's nothing that you want to do on your own, right?
SPEAKER_01:Yeah, that's correct, Randy. And legally now that you you do have to go up with um certified guides that are licensed through this through the uh government of Tanzania. So you you can no longer climb the mountain without a uh a certified guide.
SPEAKER_00:So now let's just talk about the logistics, just getting there and preparing for a hike like Kilimanjaro. I like it seems to be I uh uh and we've been doing a number of these now in the last few weeks. This is a bucket list item for for many people, but what is the attraction of uh Mount Kilimanjaro?
SPEAKER_01:Well, um Mount Kilimanjaro is the highest peak in the African continent, and um there's a um a quest that people do called the seven summits, and it's to try to reach the highest peak of every every continent. And so Mount Kilimanjaro would be that peak for this one. So that that's probably the biggest draw, I would think, um that that attracts people to do it.
SPEAKER_00:And can the average person do this? I'm not a like you talked about hiking, and and uh I always mention there's say to uh a joke that uh hikers are liars because they always seem to say, oh, it'll level off soon, and we only got it's only we're almost there, only 10 more minutes, that kind of thing. Uh but the this seems to me like compared to some like I'm like Mount Everest, I would never even think of doing that. Uh it's something that the average person could probably do as well. Yeah.
SPEAKER_01:Yeah, I would say, you know, I I I uh I try to stick away from the the average person kind of thing because we are all capable of doing so much more than we even think. And hiking Mount Kilimanjaro is is about being physically fit uh enough to carry your own body and body weight uh through the rigorous itinerary that's there, well whichever one you choose. And and really um it has a lot to do with intestinal fortitude and your mindset. If you are determined to do it and you train for it, and there are a lot of um little techniques that you can use to help uh manage your um energy usage going up the mountain, and I would say I've taken a lot several people up Mount Kilmanjaro that never thought they would be able to do anything like that. Um back to your question about liars. Hiking guides can tend to be a little bit um uh uh coercive with their accuracy on those things. And I would say, you know, some people respond to the truth. Um, for example, you know, we have you know uh seven miles to go versus breaking it down to where we're gonna go to our next rest stop or you know, break and stuff. So there are some people who will do that. I I like to be straight up with people. Um, I find that works the best, and then you can encourage people as they go if they're struggling.
SPEAKER_00:So how tough is it though? I I I yeah, like everybody's uh different in things, but but is is um is there different routes that might be easier? And if I didn't want to go right to the peak at 19,000 plus feet, uh could I just go do like a a half hike around Mount Kilangero, that kind of thing?
SPEAKER_01:Well, um let's let's kind of break that down a little bit. Um it is it is a challenging uh mountain to hike. There are there are seven like common routes that we do. I stick strictly to the Limosho route with the eight-day variation. Um, I'd like to try a different route that's longer. Um, the longer routes, the more days um can have more elevation gain, obviously, and longer mileage with the Limosho route having you know between 43 and 47 miles um throughout the eight days, depending on the variation of the route that you do. Um but it it it is it is difficult. So you've got to train and you've gotta be in shape, um and picking the right route for your fitness level and your you know your abilities is also really important as well.
SPEAKER_00:And I would think uh well at 19,000 feet elevation is a is uh a concern, right?
SPEAKER_01:Yeah, it's definitely a concern. Elevation can be very dangerous uh uh if if you be begin to have um some effects from the elevation. Uh high altitude mountain sickness is is a real thing, and uh you you know there's really no way to say who's going to get it or not gonna get it. Even fit people can get it. I actually got sick one one time on the mountain and I had a compromised immune system, and I I ended up you know just taking a little uh a shortcut to another camp and and having a kind of a uh easier day that day and felt better and and continued on, but many people do end up having to turn around. The success rate is you know it's kind of different for each route, um, but but it's kind of known to be you know around 50 to 65 percent um overall for the success rate. So it's you know, it's definitely a tough mountain to hike.
SPEAKER_00:So break it down for me. Uh you say you do the eight-day uh journey, so um what's included or what happens, uh and uh what what type of uh camping accommodations, uh that sort of thing.
SPEAKER_01:Well, uh what I do is the the basic uh eight-day Lamos show route, and the reason I like that route is because it's a little bit longer. Um with the eight days, it offers you more time to acclimatize. You're not getting uh you know, you're breaking down your elevation gain, uh, overall elevation gain over the course of uh five days before you ascend to the summit, make your uh summit attempt. Um, and essentially, you know, you start off uh around uh uh right around 9,000 feet. You're you're hiking each day with your personal backpack, which you want to kind of be around, you want it to be as light as possible, but it's usually between 13 and 18 pounds, you know, six to eight kilograms. And then the porters will will carry the rest of your stuff. And um, you know, they they'll carry up these guys carry some tremendous amounts of weight, uh too much in my opinion, but um they carry about 33 pounds, you know, of your of your gear um up the mountain. So they they take a big load off and they're incredible human beings. Uh anyway, each day is broken down into gradually going from one camp to ne to the next camp and increasing your elevation gain, doing some drops in elevation for recovery. So high high altitude hiking and in mountaineering is is about you know, hiking high and sleeping low as you work your way up the mountain.
SPEAKER_00:And so I again just getting back like I'm I don't have to set up my my own tan to that's all done for me, right? I've that makes me kind of feel like kind of lazy actually, but but it after hiking all day, I I would want that.
SPEAKER_01:Yeah, it it's it is um it's very nice uh to have that. You can focus on your recovery, and you know, these guys that work on this mountain, they're they you know they go up and down this mountain like they're just walking through the park. Um and uh it's really nice. It also offers, you know, employment for the local community, which is really important uh to sustain their you know economy with uh tourism.
SPEAKER_00:So just just getting there uh to Tanzania and getting to Kilimanjaro, I I'm assuming that you know uh once you land in the airport, someone's there to to greet you and and to get you to the mountain, yeah?
SPEAKER_01:Yeah, that's correct. Every every company kind of does it their own way, but typically speaking, you'll you know, for me, I have you know, everything all you have to do is is land in Kilimanjaro International Airport and everything else is taken care of for you.
SPEAKER_00:What are some of the questions that come up when people are are looking to do this?
SPEAKER_01:The first thing people usually ask is how hard is it? How you know can I do it? And you know, it it's kind of a difficult question. And again, I kind of mentioned that we're all capable of doing more than than we think we can. Uh, but this is a pretty serious hike for most people. And um, you know, uh the questions would come up about whether they can or can't do it, and you know, we kind of talk about what your current fitness level is and how much time you have to train. Uh other questions that come up, you know, would be do we have to carry our own stuff? And you know, what are the temperatures? That's a that's a big question because you can go Yeah, you go through five climate zones um on Kilimanjaro, starting, you know, from the the um the the lowest the lowest level like right around six thousand feet. They call it like the the the bush zone or the the cultivation zone, but you kind of go up through these five um uh like the rainforest is is where you start hiking, and then you end up in the Arctic zone. So the the temperatures can be can be pretty brutal with you know, sometimes up to you know minus twenty degrees, I think, is is kind of what the recorded without the the uh the the wind chill factor on the summit. And you can bet that's pretty cold. And I've been up there when it's been below zero and it's it's not uh it's not an easy an easy night when it's that cold.
SPEAKER_00:I bet. So what now uh when you get to the summit, how long are you there?
SPEAKER_01:Uh and you know, you when you get to the summit, uh a summit night itself, you know, six to eight hours, the whole thing is is gonna take you ascent from your high count to the bottom. It can take up to 16 hours or or more, depending on the person. And of course, you know, people with rough knees are are gonna need a little bit more time. As far as how much time they spend up there, I mean it's it's not recommended to spend a lot of time up there. Usually it's get your pictures, high fives, and and that kind of thing, and then start back down the mountain. Um, with my groups, we we break it up so that not everybody is trying to get to the summit at the same time so they can go at their their own pace. And I've been up there probably for two hours or so waiting for people to come up um so that I can you know greet them and that kind of stuff. But but typically it's it's it's a good idea to to make it brief because you you know you can still get sick on the descent.
SPEAKER_00:True. Um, so um when you talk about groups how big of a group are we talking about and then how many other groups are up there like how crowded can it be?
SPEAKER_01:Um well you know my groups are typically for for this particular tour have been smaller groups you know like in the eight to twelve numbers right around there give or take um different different tour operators take different um you know different size groups the first time I did it was with the Sierra Club and I think we had 17 people and that was that was a lot of people um uh so I and I forgot the second part of your question sorry is it is there other groups like how crowded I've seen pictures of uh Mount Everest where there's a big lineup. Yeah um the definitely they can they can get crowded uh the routes all can converge at the at the summit circle at the top so that can get a little bit crowded on the way up on summit night and then the camps even down low can get pretty crowded de b depending on if you're going during the busy time of the year. So um it can be pretty pretty crowded up there depending on the route and the you know uh the camps that you stay at.
SPEAKER_00:And when is the best time to go then? I mean if you don't want to if you want to avoid the crowds is there is there a a best time though?
SPEAKER_01:Well the best time at avoiding the crowds are are kind of not really compatible. The best time in my opinion uh I've gone in uh January February and and June and January and March is kind of known as like the warmest the warmest time of the year and then uh and then June to October is sort of like the long dry season but they have colder nights and when I was there in June the one time I did it in the June there was so much snow at the top uh it was it was crazy and it was really cold. Um but uh it's kind of relevant to you know what is what is convenient time for you to go. A lot of people go in the summer from the US because that's when the the families are off of school and stuff.
SPEAKER_00:Um anything else you want to add?
SPEAKER_01:Uh no it's I mean it's just it's a really great experience and um you know I've I've done it probably five or six times and really enjoyed enjoyed it and I think if you ever have thought about doing it it's on your mind there's really no time uh like the present and you you know you gotta make it happen because it's it's a great once-in-a-lifetime experience.
SPEAKER_00:I would imagine it is Terry Jerome otherwise known as TJ is outdoor uh adventurer and founder of TJhiker.com you can find out all kinds of information on Kilimanjaro and then other hikes as well uh around the world on her website tjhiker.com I appreciate uh you doing this uh TJ and taking the time thank you so much thanks a lot Randy have a great one that is our show for this week if you have comments or questions we'd love to hear from you if you have a show idea send that along as well my email is Randy at theinformed traveler dot or give you like what you heard tell a friend you can check out our website too at theinformed travelers dot org. In the meantime thanks for listening to travel safe and be an informed traveler