PKAT Chat

Our first Norwegian Cruise Line sailing aboard Norwegian Bliss taught us a few things, and now we're getting ready to put those lessons to work on Norwegian Viva! This week on PKAT Chat, we're wrapping up our Alaska adventure with the story of an airline nightmare that turned a simple travel day into a 17-hour ordeal. We're also talking about what worked, what didn't, and why we&#3...

Boo's Cruise 4.0 is almost here! We're getting ready to board Norwegian Viva out of Galveston, Texas, and this week we're bringing together a whole crew of friends and fellow content creators to talk about everything we've got planned for this Halloween sailing. From embarkation-day meetups and specialty dining to our DAS BOOT Bar Crawl, shore excursions, and a few surprises we're keeping under wr...

We finally sailed with Norwegian Cruise Line, and what better way to experience NCL for the first time than aboard Norwegian Bliss in Alaska? This week on PKAT Chat, Ryan and Melinda are back to share their experiences from their seven-night Alaska cruise and first-ever travel-agent Seminar at Sea. From the ship's restaurants and specialty dining to the service, entertainment, and beautiful sp...

We’re heading back to Alaska , but this cruise is going to be very different. We’re sailing aboard Norwegian Bliss for our first-ever Norwegian Cruise Line cruise — and our first Travel Agent Seminar at Sea . In this episode of PKAT Chat , we break down what a Seminar at Sea actually looks like, how much training is involved, and how we plan to balance the travel-agent side of the trip with actual...

Cruising from Galveston for the first time? So are we! With Boo’s Cruise 4.0 getting closer, we brought in Jeremy and Sheryl to help us figure out everything we need to know before sailing from one of Texas' busiest cruise ports. We get into the differences between flying into Houston Hobby and George Bush Intercontinental, options for getting between Houston and Galveston, cruise shuttles, Ub...

Cruising today looks a LOT different from when we took our first cruise back in 1999. Ships are enormous, phones and cruise apps have replaced paper planners, specialty restaurants are everywhere, dress codes are more relaxed, and getting on a ship is easier than ever. But did all those changes actually make cruising better? On this episode of PKAT Chat , Ryan and Melinda go back to the early days...

Cruise fares are only the beginning these days. Once you book, you're hit with drink packages, specialty dining, spa treatments, thermal suites, Wi-Fi, exclusive areas, priority access and a growing list of other extras. So which cruise add-ons are actually worth paying for? On this episode of PKAT Chat , Ryan and Melinda break down the extras they've personally spent money on and where th...

What would make you actually ask to move from your cruise cabin or RV campsite ? This week on PKAT Chat , Ryan and Melinda are comparing the little annoyances we can live with to the problems that can become legitimate vacation deal breakers. On the camping side, we talk about difficult RV sites, trees that make backing in nearly impossible, badly sloped campsites, hookups that are too far away, n...

Why does food just seem to taste better when you’re on vacation? This week on PKAT Chat , Ryan and Melinda are talking about the foods and drinks that instantly put us into vacation mode. From steaks and specialty dining on a cruise to burgers, hot dogs, s’mores and campfire meals at the campground, we’re swapping favorites and getting plenty of suggestions from the live chat. We also get into som...

There’s a LOT happening at Norwegian Cruise Line , so we invited Seth Gruns from NCL to join us for a full PKAT Chat. We’re talking about the major changes happening at Great Stirrup Cay , including the new pier, Great Life Lagoon, adults-only Vibe Shore Club, Silver Cove and the new Great Tides Waterpark. Then we get into the money side of cruising. Seth breaks down Free at Sea and Free at Sea Pl...

We're back with Part 2 of the biggest mistakes first-time cruisers make , and this time we're recording from our mobile studio while towing the RV toward Falling Waters State Park in Florida. Because apparently talking cruises while going camping makes perfect sense for PK Adventure Travels. We get into cruise cabin locations and why the wrong room can make for some sleepless nights, guara...

Dreaming about an Alaska cruise? In this episode, Ryan and Melinda are joined by Scott from Controversial Cruising to share everything they learned from their Alaska adventures. From choosing the right itinerary and cruise line to the best ports, unforgettable excursions, wildlife encounters, glaciers, and photography tips, this episode is packed with practical advice for first-time and returning...

Planning your first cruise? In this episode of PKAT Chat , Ryan and Mel share the biggest mistakes they see first-time cruisers make—and several that even experienced cruisers still make. They discuss when to book your cruise, why flying in the day before is so important, packing mistakes, passports, travel insurance, drink packages, specialty dining reservations, embarkation day tips, ship time v...

Ever wondered what really works for seasickness on a cruise? Ryan and Mel share their real-world experiences after cruising through rough seas and discuss everything from free natural remedies to prescription medications. They cover ginger, Sea-Bands, Dramamine, Bonine, Scopolamine patches, anti-nausea medications, electronic wrist devices, green apples, hydration, and much more. They also answer...

In Season 3, Episode 27 of PKAT Chat, Ryan and Melinda look back at their relaxing weekend at Little Manatee River State Park , sharing stories about camping, wildlife, freshwater fishing, RV life, and the realities of camping through a Florida summer. They also discuss podcast growth, homemade camping meals, and the fun moments that never made it into a vlog. The conversation then shifts to excit...

In Season 3, Episode 26 of PKAT Chat, Ryan and Melinda hit the road for a Fourth of July camping trip to Little Manatee River State Park . Along the drive, they celebrate America's 250th birthday by challenging viewers with fun U.S. trivia covering geography, history, state capitals, landmarks, and more. The conversation also includes camping plans, travel updates, podcast news, Peachy's e...

In Season 3, Episode 25 of PKAT Chat, Ryan and Melinda recap their camping trip to Manatee Springs State Park and talk about getting back into freshwater fishing after years away from the sport. They discuss what they caught, what they learned, and whether fishing will become a regular part of future PK Adventure Travels adventures. The conversation also covers an honest review of the campground,...

For this episode of PKAT Chat, Ryan and Melinda hit the road for their 27th wedding anniversary camping trip to Manatee Springs State Park. Along the way they discuss Norwegian Cruise Line specialty dining, upcoming cruise plans, RV upgrades, camping adventures, MSC Cruises, travel memories, and future projects coming to the channel. It's a relaxed road-trip conversation full of travel talk, laugh...

Join us live as we welcome Eddie and Alice Lugo from Eddie Lugo Studios and Alice Lugo Studios to talk about their recent wedding anniversary cruise aboard MSC Seaside. We'll discuss the ship, dining, entertainment, service, ports of call, and what it was like celebrating their anniversary at sea. We'll also dive into what they loved most about MSC Seaside, what surprised them, and whether...

Join us live as Mel and I sit down with our daughter Desi to talk about her VERY first experience sailing with Norwegian Cruise Line aboard the NCL Getaway during her honeymoon cruise. Desi has cruised more than 20 times, mostly with Carnival Cruise Line, plus a few Royal Caribbean sailings, and has traveled all over the world. In this live, we’ll get her honest perspective on what she liked about...

Running a YouTube channel is a lot more than just turning on a camera and hitting record. In tonight’s PK Adventure Travels live stream, Ryan and Melinda take you behind the scenes of how we actually run our channel, livestreams, automation tools, overlays, chat systems, and YouTube management. We’ll show how we use OBS Studio, Restream, Nightbot, Stream Deck, YouTube Studio, analytics, overlays,...

Ever wonder what really happens after we get home from a cruise or camping trip? In this live show, Ryan and Melinda from PK Adventure Travels walk through our REAL post-production workflow from start to finish. From organizing thousands of video clips to editing in Final Cut Pro, creating thumbnails, adding music, building YouTube SEO, and turning long videos into Shorts, this is the actual proce...

Ever wonder what really goes on behind the scenes of a YouTube channel? In this live, we’re breaking down the administrative side of running PK Adventure TravelsWe’ll walk through the exact tools we use every day including Final Cut Pro, CapCut, Epidemic Sound, Canva, Photoshop, ChatGPT, OpusClip, VidIQ, NightBot, and more. From editing and thumbnails to SEO, automation, and content planning, this...

Thinking about starting a YouTube channel, travel vlog, cruise channel, or RV channel? In this PKAT Chat, we're pulling back the curtain and showing the cameras, microphones, drones, action cameras, and accessories we use to create our videos. From our early days filming with a Nikon DSLR and iPhones to our current setup featuring DJI, Sony, Insta360, GoPro, and Rode equipment, we share what w...

Tonight we’re talking about organizing small spaces in your RV. Storage is always limited when you’re traveling, so having the right systems in place can make RV life much easier. We’ll go over simple ways to maximize cabinets, closets, and hidden storage areas so everything has a place. From kitchen storage to bathroom organization and general RV clutter control, these ideas can help keep your sp...